Samrat Upadhyay is the author of seven books of fiction that have been translated into French, Greek, Spanish, and Thai, among others. His books have won or have been finalists for major international awards, including the Whiting Award, the Asian American Literary Award, the Kiriyama Prize, the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award, and the Aspen Literary Prize. His story “The Limping Bride” is being made into the film “Perfect God,” directed by Khyentse Norbu. Upadhyay’s latest work is Darkmotherland, an epic tale with intertwining narratives of love and political violence that The New York Times calls “disturbing and wildly inventive.” Upadhyay is a Distinguished Professor of English and Martha C. Kraft Professor of Humanities at Indiana University.

Mira Sethi is an actor and a writer. Her debut book of short stories, Are You Enjoying?, was published to critical and commercial acclaim in 2021. Mira regularly appears in Pakistani drama serials, most recently in Very Filmy (2024) and Kuch Ankahi (2023). Mira is also a passionate advocate for women’s rights and frequently lends her support to local women-oriented causes. Mira has written for the New Yorker, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Guardian and DAWN.