Maria Akhanji

About the Author

Maria Akhanji is a Irish South Asian Muslim author whose fiction explores the complexities of womanhood, family, identity and belonging. Through her writing, she confronts the taboos, stereotypes and silences that shape women’s lives, particularly within British Bangladeshi Muslim communities.

Her Salt and Pepper Trilogy delves into misogyny shaped by misinterpretation of Islamic dogma, domestic violence, trauma and generational wounds, examining how cultural expectations can shape relationships, perpetuate suffering and influence the lives of women across generations.

Maria writes stories that challenge conventional narratives, question inherited beliefs and give voice to experiences that are too often left unspoken. Her work invites readers to look beyond appearances and consider the complicated realities that lie beneath the surface of family and community life.