Short stories remain the most interesting form of story telling over the centuries. Many of the greatest writers to have lived, started with short stories, before embarking on the journey of writing something longer. This book is an attempt to handpick the greatest works in short story writing over the years from India, including some of the most recognizable names from the land of storytelling. Stories from all slices of life, which will make you laugh, cry, smile or sulk. Including writers like Premchand, Rabindranath Tagore, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay and the Ramayana.

The Indian short story is extraordinary in its ability to stick to the traditional rules of the craft and still demonstrate remarkable originality. It revolves around a limited number of characters, confines itself in time and space, and has a well-plotted narrative that drives its central theme. Within the traditional framework, however, creativity flowers and a fresh and imaginative story emerges. This volume is chock-full with such stories, written by authors well known in their regional languages as well as those who have made a name for themselves in English literary circles. Carefully selected by India's literary giant, the late Khushwant Singh, these pieces represent the best of Indian writing from around the country.

A born story teller,Dr. Mulk Raj Anand is one of the most outstanding short story writers. His contributions to the Indian short story is truly impressive. These short stories are selected from a collection of his writings over the last forty years. His stories reveal modes such as strong satire, uproarious laughter and acute psychological perception.

Women's stories in India have been handed down from generation to generation, enriched and embroidered along the way. Political change and the arrival of print culture meant that storytelling was pushed into the background. But in more recent times, these voices have once again come centre-stage - confident, varied and complex. Spanning half a century, this collection covers many languages and cultures, and reflects the vast and complex cultures of the country and its diaspora. It offers a view of the changes that have taken place, both in terms of the subjects women choose to write about and their preferred way of writing about these subjects. From established names such as Mahashveta Devi to the newer generation of young authors, such as Tishani Doshi, Katha brings to the reader a vivid array of voices.

Poet, novelist, painter and musician, Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) is the grand master of Bengali culture. Written during the 1890s, the stories in this selection brilliantly recreate vivid images of Bengali life and landscapes in their depiction of peasantry and gentry, casteism, corrupt officialdom and dehumanizing poverty. Yet Tagore is first and foremost India's supreme Romantic poet, and in these stories he can be seen reaching beyond mere documentary realism towards his own profoundly original vision.