Bharati Sen

Bharati Sen was born in Rangoon, Myanmar, and spent much of her childhood immersed in the diverse cultures of Southeast Asia and West Bengal. Her experiences growing up in these regions shaped her perspective on cultural disparities and the resilience of women, themes that would later become central to her writing.

Her debut book, On the Banks of River Sarayu, is a collection of nineteen evocative stories that illuminate the lives of ordinary South Asian women, capturing their struggles and triumphs through poignant and bittersweet narratives. The book received the 2020 International Book Award and was a finalist for the 2020 MiPA Midwest Book Award.

In her latest novel, My War My Child, Sen explores the intertwined journeys of two war heroines during the Bangladesh War of Independence. Through their stories, she examines themes of sacrifice, survival, and the unbreakable bond between mothers and children in times of conflict. The novel has been recognized as a finalist for the 2025 Oklahoma Book Award and was awarded first place in the 2024 Chanticleer Hemingway Award for 21st Century Wartime Fiction.

Bharati Sen’s writing serves as a powerful lens into the untold stories of women, bridging history, culture, and personal resilience in a way that resonates with readers worldwide.