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Meghna Pant
Meghna Pant
from Wikipedia

Meghna Pant is an Indian author, journalist, and speaker. She has won a variety of awards for her contribution to literature, gender issues, and journalism.[1] In 2012, she won the Muse India National Literary Awards Young Writer Award for her debut novel One-and-a-Half Wife.[2] Her collection of short stories, Happy Birthday and Other Stories was long-listed for the Frank O’Connor International Award.[3][4]

Key Information

Career

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Pant previously worked as a business news anchor with Times Now, NDTV and Bloomberg-UTV in Mumbai and New York City.[5][6] She reported from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) during the 2008 financial crisis.[3] She quit in 2013 to pursue writing full-time,[3] and returned to India.[6]

Her debut novel One & a Half Wife (Westland, 2012) won the national Muse India Young Writer Award (2014) and was shortlisted for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.[7]

Pant's debut collection of short stories Happy Birthday[3] (Random House, 2013) was long-listed for the Frank O'Connor International Award (2014).[8] Her second short story collection The Trouble With Women was published in 2016.

In 2015, she began curating a monthly panel discussion in Mumbai called "Feminist Rani", featuring interviews with a wide range of Indian feminists.[6][9] After three years of the discussions, she published a collection of the interviews in her first non-fiction book Feminist Rani in 2018,[6] co-authored with Shaili Chopra.[10] Her second non-fiction book was How To Get Published in India in 2019, based on interviews with publishing industry insiders and authors.[11]

Pant has written on issues including consent, rape,[12] domestic violence,[13] miscarriage,[14] surrogacy, body-shaming[15] and public safety for women for various publications, including The Hindustan Times[16] and The Huffington Post,[17] and was the Features Editor at SheThePeople.TV.[18] In 2018, she was awarded the Laadli Media Award for her writing on gender equality.[19]

As a survivor of domestic violence, she has also spoken on several platforms, including TEDx,[20] on her personal experience, urging women to speak out against domestic violence.[3][21] She has also spoken at literary festivals and conferences, including the Jaipur Literature Festival,[22] Tata Literature Live!,[23] Kala Ghoda Literature Festival,[24] Pune International Literary Festival,[25] Young Makers Conclave, #RiseWithTwitter, and The UN Feminist Conference. In 2018, Pant moderated panel discussions at the #MeToo Conversations event hosted by Firstpost.[26]

Pant's short stories have been published in Avatar Review,[27] Wasafari, Eclectica,[28] and QLRS,[29] and her story "Boonthing" was published in the anthology The Himalayan Arc: Journeys East of South-east.[30]

She also anchors various women-centric shows for the news portal FirstPost.[31][32]

In 2019, Pant appeared as an expert on the show Kaun Banega Crorepati with Amitabh Bachchan.[33]

In 2020, Pant became a podcaster with a show about personal finance called SHOW ME THE MONEY, for Amazon's Audible.[34]

Critical reception

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According to Michelle D'Souza of the Khaleej Times, her "works come with strong feminist leanings, and showcase multi-dimensional characters, especially women."[35]

Her short story collection The Trouble With Women was reviewed by Aditya Mani Jha of Business Line, who writes that in the book, Pant "shows us how it’s done, how a skilled writer uses journalistic base to create a convincing, sensitive fictional scenario," and references her previous story collection Happy Birthday as an additional example.[36]

Feminist Rani was praised by Kamla Bhasin as "A powerful, sensitive and thought-provoking book that is a must-read for anyone who thinks that women and men are equals, and for those who don’t."[10]

Her story "Boonthing" was referred to as "sparkling" in a review by Abdus Salam of the anthology The Himalayan Arc: Journeys East of South-east in The Hindu,[37] and she was described as one of the authors that 'shines through' by Prannay Pathak of the Hindustan Times.[38]

Tanvi Trivedi of The Times of India described How To Get Published in India as "sure to answer many questions nestling in the minds of aspiring authors."[39]

After Pant retold the epic poem The Mahabharata in one hundred tweets, Sian Cain of The Guardian wrote, "Somehow, Meghna Pant has managed to contain all of the dynamics of power struggle, war, love, lust and greed in her 140 character tidbits."[40]

Awards

[edit]
  • Shakti Award (2025) – Winner[41]
  • SheThePeople Powerful Women Award (2024) – Winner[42]
  • Laadli Media Award (2023) – Winner[43]
  • Society Achievers Award (2022) – Winner[44]
  • The Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize (2022) – Longlist[45]
  • FICCI Young Achiever's Award (2019) – Winner[46]
  • Laadli Media Award (2018) – Winner[19]
  • Bharat Nirman Award (2017) – Winner[47]
  • FON (Fellows of Nature) South Asia Short Story Award (2016) – Winner[48]
  • Muse India Young Writer Award (2013) – Winner[49][50]
  • Commonwealth Short Story Prize (2018) – Longlist[51]
  • Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award (2014) – Longlist[52][53]
  • The Cinnamon Press Novel Writing Award (2012) – Shortlist[54]

Bibliography

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Personal life

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Born in Shimla, to Sujata and Deep Chandra Pant––both of whom worked in the Indian Revenue Service and retired as Chief Commissioners of Income Tax from Mumbai and Kolkata respectively in 2012,[55] Pant is the sister of stand-up comedian Sorabh Pant.[56] She lives in Mumbai with her two daughters.[57]

See also

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References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia

Meghna Pant is an Indian author, journalist, speaker, and feminist born in , recognized for her contributions to on issues, domestic relationships, and modern Indian society. Educated with degrees in , , and international from institutions in , , and , she transitioned from a career in —serving as an anchor for networks like , Profit, and Bloomberg-UTV, and editing a in —to full-time authorship.
Pant has authored nine books, including novels such as One and a Half Wife (2012), (2022), and The Man Who Lost India (2024); short story collections like (2013) and The Trouble with Women (2016); and non-fiction works including Feminist Rani (2018) and How to Get Published in India (2019), which have achieved critical and commercial success. Her writing often addresses themes of patriarchal repression, toxic marriages, and , drawing from empirical observations of societal structures rather than ideological prescriptions. Among her notable achievements are multiple literary awards, such as the Commonwealth Short Story Prize (2018), Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award (2014), Muse India Young Writer Award (2012), and journalism honors like the Laadli Media Award (2018) and Award (2017), affirming her status as one of 's prominent contemporary writers.

Early Life and Education

Family Background and Childhood

Meghna Pant was born in , , to parents Sujata Pant and Deep Chandra Pant, both of whom served as officers in the and retired as Chief Commissioners of . Her father's career in the IRS involved postings that necessitated family relocations across regions, exposing her to varied administrative and cultural environments in during her formative years. Pant spent her early childhood in , including time with her grandmother, before the family relocated to for her initial schooling years. At around age nine, she moved with her parents and brother, comedian , to , where her family settled amid her parents' ongoing government service in administration. This peripatetic upbringing in bureaucratic households emphasized structure and public duty, as her parents' roles entailed oversight of tax compliance and in urban centers.

Academic and Early Professional Training

Meghna Pant completed an in and Statistics from , in 2001. This program provided foundational training in quantitative analysis and economic principles, equipping her for subsequent advanced studies and entry into finance-related fields. Following her bachelor's degree, Pant secured a to pursue an MBA in Finance from Nanyang Business School at in . She also obtained a in International Management from the in , enhancing her global business acumen through exposure to cross-cultural management and . These postgraduate qualifications, earned abroad, facilitated her transition to professional roles requiring analytical rigor and international perspectives. Pant began her early professional career with a brief tenure in corporate finance after completing her MBA, applying her economic and financial training to business operations. She subsequently pivoted to business journalism, working in New York City where she reported from the New York Stock Exchange during the 2008 financial crisis, honing skills in economic reporting and market analysis. Additional early stints included roles in Singapore and other international locations, building expertise in financial media amid global economic volatility. These initial positions in finance and journalism abroad laid the groundwork for her later media contributions by developing proficiency in data-driven storytelling and macroeconomic commentary.

Professional Career

Journalism and Media Contributions

Meghna Pant began her journalism career as a television anchor at , working under . She subsequently served as a reporter for Profit in and Bloomberg-UTV in , where she covered business and economic developments. During this period, Pant reported on the directly from the and , focusing on market impacts and economic data. In , Pant launched a , extending her work in financial to regional economic . As an independent , she has contributed articles to outlets such as , Firstpost, Huffington Post, , DNA, and , addressing topics including economics, societal trends, politics, and gender dynamics with an emphasis on verifiable facts and data-driven insights. Her reporting often prioritizes over ideological narratives, as seen in coverage of financial markets and effects. Pant maintains the weekly column "The Moderate Mahila Mandate" in , which delivers non-partisan commentary on Indian political and cultural events through a gendered lens, critiquing issues like celebrity scandals and religious controversies based on observable outcomes and public records. Examples include analyses of Lalit Modi's public image in relation to glamour and accountability, and proposed resolutions to poster disputes involving , advocating for pragmatic, evidence-supported positions. She has also appeared as a panelist on channels including , , CNN-IBN, and international outlets like , discussing current events with a focus on causal factors. Her interviews with figures such as President , , , , , and underscore her engagement with economic and societal leaders, eliciting data on business strategies and policy implications. Pant's international postings in cities like New York and have shaped her approach, integrating global financial data into analyses of Indian societal challenges.

Authorship, Screenwriting, and Public Speaking

Meghna Pant transitioned from to authorship with her One and a Half Wife, published by Westland in , which earned the Muse India Young Writer Award. This marked her entry into creative , building on her reporting background to explore narrative forms. She has since published multiple novels, including the dystopian The Man Who Lost in February 2024 by , depicting a speculative India-China conflict scenario. Pant has extended her authorship into , with several works acquired for adaptations. In March 2022, Dice Media, under Pocket Aces, secured rights to adapt her novel into a , with Pant writing the . Additionally, The Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad Good News is under screen adaptation, and she has developed other original . As a public speaker, Pant has appeared at major events including TEDxSairam in 2016, where she delivered "A Woman and Her Choices," and the . She addresses topics such as literature, , and , known for her direct style in panel discussions like those curated under Feminist Rani for SheThePeople. Her engagements emphasize unfiltered perspectives on gender dynamics and societal issues.

Literary Works

Novels

![Pant at the Mumbai book launch of her novel One & A Half Wife](./assets/Meghna_Pant_33 Meghna Pant's debut novel, One and a Half , was published in April 2012 by Westland Limited. The narrative centers on Amara Malhotra, an Indian immigrant pursuing the , whose experiences involve a failed and eventual return to , highlighting cultural dislocations faced by non-resident Indians (NRIs). Pant released her second , Boys Don't Cry, in 2022 through . Drawing partially from real events, the story follows Maneka , who faces arrest for the suspected murder of her ex-husband, unfolding a account of marital abuse, emotional neglect, and the dynamics within a contemporary Indian . Her third , The Man Who Lost , appeared in February 2024 from . Set in 2032, it depicts a scenario of Chinese invasion of halted by a occurrence in a remote town, incorporating elements of geopolitical conflict, internal betrayals, and critiques of national leadership.

Short Stories and Collections

Pant published her debut collection of short stories, Happy Birthday! And Other Stories, with in 2013. The volume comprises interconnected tales centered on the aspirations, frustrations, and interpersonal dynamics of middle-class Indians, often drawing from observable social patterns in urban and suburban settings. It received recognition as a longlist nominee for the 2014 International , the world's largest monetary prize for short fiction. Her second collection, The Trouble with Women, appeared in 2016 under Juggernaut Books. This set of stories examines conflicts arising from traditional expectations versus modern realities, portraying women's agency through pragmatic narratives rather than idealized portrayals. Critics have noted its empirical approach to societal pressures on women in contemporary , highlighting causal links between cultural norms and individual outcomes. Beyond collections, Pant has contributed standalone short stories to literary journals. "I Am Man," published in The Bombay Review in 2017, depicts a rural Punjabi man's internal struggle with perceived amid economic migration and family expectations, underscoring biological and social determinants of male identity without romanticization. Other works, such as those in Wasafiri and Eclectica Magazine, similarly probe class-based alienation and familial obligations through concise, observation-driven vignettes. These pieces reflect Pant's pattern of using short fiction to isolate causal mechanisms in everyday Indian experiences, distinct from the broader arcs of her novels.

Non-Fiction

Feminist Rani, published in 2018 by , consists of interviews conducted by Pant with Indian public figures including actors and , comedian Tanmay Bhatt, and entrepreneur , focusing on and in contemporary . The work examines the evolution of in the country, noting its undocumented history and lack of clear origins compared to Western timelines, while drawing on interviewees' experiences to critique societal norms such as early and limited female agency. These discussions prioritize practical observations from Indian contexts over ideological advocacy, highlighting causal factors like economic dependencies and cultural expectations that perpetuate gender disparities. In addition to curated interviews, Pant's non-fiction extends to practical guides like How to Get Published in India (Bloomsbury, 2019), which provides step-by-step instructions on manuscript preparation, agent queries, and marketing strategies tailored to the publishing landscape, incorporating contributions from established authors such as and . Launched at the , the book addresses empirical realities of the industry, including rejection rates and contract negotiations, based on Pant's own experiences navigating over 100 rejections before publication. While not centered on social critique, it underscores in creative pursuits, aligning with Pant's broader emphasis on individual agency amid systemic barriers. Pant has also produced The Holy 100 (Rupa Publications, 2019), a concise retelling of Hindu epics including the , , and , each summarized in exactly 100 points totaling under 3,400 words. This abridgment aims to make ancient texts accessible, preserving core narratives and philosophical elements without interpretive overlay, though its factual condensation invites verification against original sources for precision.

Themes and Intellectual Stance

Feminism and Gender Realism

In her co-authored work Feminist Rani (2018), Pant advocates for women's agency by compiling interviews with 14 influential Indian women, emphasizing practical empowerment over perpetual victimhood narratives, drawing on real-world examples of women navigating societal barriers through and rather than reliance on systemic excuses. She posits as a pursuit of equality in access and opportunity for both sexes, rejecting tied to biology in favor of mental and social constructs that enable mutual societal progress. Pant critiques manifestations of toxic masculinity, such as emotional repression and abusive dynamics, while incorporating male vulnerability; her novel (2022), inspired by personal experiences, dissects how cultural expectations inhibit men from expressing pain—""—contributing to cycles of violence in relationships, yet holds women accountable for remaining in such dynamics despite economic independence. In a March 2023 discussion, she identified silence as the primary enabler of , urging disclosure over endurance, supported by observations of prevalent toxic relationships in where women often prioritize societal image over self-preservation. Challenging romanticized gender roles, Pant attributes inequality's persistence to cultural stigmatization—such as taboos and patriarchal glorification of endurance—and economic dependencies that trap individuals in dysfunctional unions, rather than attributing it solely to overarching ; her narratives highlight how these factors intersect with personal choices, using anecdotal and societal evidence from Indian contexts to underscore agency amid constraints. This approach favors dissecting root causes like ingrained norms and resource disparities, evidenced in her portrayals of women confronting identity dilemmas without idealizing victim status.

Nationalism, Geopolitics, and Societal Critique

In her 2024 dystopian novel The Man Who Lost India, Meghna Pant depicts a scenario set in 2032 where China launches a full-scale invasion of India, resulting in the occupation of most of the country except one state, as a cautionary exploration of geopolitical vulnerabilities. The narrative centers on familial strife and clandestine resistance amid pillage and societal collapse, attributing the territorial loss to failures in strategic foresight and military preparedness rather than inevitable external dominance. Drawing from real-world India-China border clashes, such as those escalating since 2020 along the Line of Actual Control, Pant illustrates how unresolved territorial disputes and resource scarcities—like water and arable land—could cascade into broader conflict if leadership prioritizes short-term appeasement over robust deterrence. Pant has described the work as a prompt to avoid repeating historical policy errors, emphasizing that war's risks stem from empirical factors including demographic imbalances and economic dependencies on adversaries, not abstract ideologies. In interviews, she underscores the need for national strategies that address self-inflicted weaknesses, such as inadequate in border regions and over-reliance on diplomatic talks without reciprocal enforcement, positioning the novel as a realist warning against complacency in the face of aggressive . This approach contrasts with narratives framing primarily as a victim of unprovoked , instead highlighting causal chains where internal disunity and delayed modernization amplify external threats. Beyond fiction, Pant's non-partisan columns in outlets like India and Times of India critique societal fractures—such as cultural polarization and policy inertia—that erode collective defense capabilities, urging empirical focus on unity and preparedness over partisan grievance-mongering. For instance, her commentary on controversies like the 2022 Maa Kaali poster row advocates moderate, consensus-driven resolutions to prevent escalatory divisions that adversaries could exploit. These pieces stress verifiable risks, including demographic shifts and economic coercion from neighbors, as drivers of upheaval, while rejecting perpetual victimhood frames in favor of accountable and fortified .

Reception and Controversies

Critical Acclaim and Achievements

Meghna Pant's debut novel One and a Half Wife (Westland, 2012) earned the Muse India Young Writer Award in 2013, recognizing its portrayal of an Indian woman's pursuit of the American dream amid cultural clashes. Her subsequent short story collection Happy Birthday! (Random House India, 2013) was longlisted for the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award in 2014, the world's richest prize for short fiction, highlighting its emotional depth and narrative innovation in depicting contemporary Indian lives. Pant has received acclaim as a bestselling for her unflinching examinations of dynamics and societal norms in , with works praised for bold storytelling that challenges conventional narratives. The Trouble with Women (, 2016), a collection of stories addressing , , and women's realities across urban and rural , has been described as a landmark in , prompting public discourse on entrenched inequalities through vivid, data-informed critiques of social practices. Her recognition extends to public speaking engagements on and , where she is noted for insightful commentary on empirical disparities in women's experiences.

Criticisms and Debates

Meghna Pant's novel The Man Who Lost (2024), a dystopian depiction of an -China conflict, has elicited mixed responses, with an average rating of 3.3 out of 5 on from 29 reviews. Critics have faulted its execution, describing the narrative as overly plot-driven and laden with cinematic elements that prioritize spectacle over literary nuance, likening it to a script better suited for than depth in prose. Some reviewers highlighted unrelatable characters, a dragging middle section, and an abrupt, illogical climax relying on contrived resolutions, which undermined the premise's potential. In debates surrounding Pant's feminist portrayals, her novel (2022) has faced accusations of reinforcing stereotypes despite its intent to expose domestic abuse. Reviewers have argued that the protagonist's arc—from an independent professional to a passive victim—perpetuates the image of women as helpless "abla nari" figures, lacking sufficient agency or growth to challenge traditional narratives. Others critiqued an apparent bias toward victimization, noting the omission of perspectives or the role of evolving dynamics in relationships, which some interpreted as one-sided advocacy rather than balanced realism. These views contrast with Pant's self-described realism, prompting discussions on whether her works prescribe victimhood over . Pant’s recent geopolitical writings, including The Man Who Lost , have drawn scrutiny for a perceived nationalist orientation that diverges from prevailing media consensus on - relations, with some questioning her claims of journalistic non-partisanship amid a focus on existential threats from . This tilt has fueled broader debates on in Indian discourse, where critiques of her emphasis on national vulnerabilities are sometimes dismissed by supporters as reflective of underrepresented viewpoints against institutionalized biases in academia and mainstream outlets. However, explicit controversies remain sparse, with Pant attributing negative reception to systemic prejudices against Indian-authored works challenging orthodox narratives.

Awards and Recognition

Literary Honors

Pant received the Muse India Young Writer in 2013 for her debut novel One and a Half Wife, recognizing her emerging contributions to . Her short story collection Happy Birthday! and Other Stories, published in 2013, was longlisted for the International in 2014, one of the world's richest prizes for short fiction with a €40,000 purse, highlighting the collection's global appeal among over 1,000 entries.

Journalism and Advocacy Awards

Meghna Pant has received multiple awards for her on dynamics and societal issues, often emphasizing data-driven critiques of cultural practices and policy failures over ideological narratives. These honors recognize her reporting that prioritizes verifiable evidence, such as statistics on prevalence and causal factors like family structures, rather than unsubstantiated claims. In 2017, she was awarded the Award by the Bharat Nirman Foundation during the Asiad Literature Festival for contributions to issues and , including analyses challenging prevalent myths around in . The Laadli Media and Advertising Awards for Sensitivity, sponsored by UNFPA and Population First, granted her recognition in 2018 for media work promoting evidence-based discussions on gender disparities. This award specifically highlights reporting that counters biased portrayals by focusing on empirical realities, such as disparities in legal enforcement against abuse. Pant earned the Journalist Women Achiever’s Award in 2019 for investigative pieces on -related societal pressures, including standards and their psychological impacts, backed by clinical data rather than anecdotal appeals. That same year, the FICCI Young Achiever’s Award from the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry commended her advocacy through , particularly columns advocating reforms grounded in economic and demographic evidence on roles. In 2023, she received a second Laadli Media Award for an article examining the Shraddha Walkar murder case, which dissected through forensic and legal evidence, critiquing systemic delays in justice delivery. This piece underscored causal links between unreported abuse patterns and outcomes like homicide, drawing on police data amid India's statistics showing over 4.45 cases in 2022.

Personal Life

Upbringing Influences

Meghna Pant was born in , , to parents who worked as officers in India's , a branch of the . She spent her early childhood raised in before the family relocated to when she was nine years old. This transition from the national capital to India's financial metropolis immersed her in contrasting urban dynamics, fostering early awareness of socioeconomic contrasts and cultural shifts that informed her later depictions of Indian city life. Her parents' careers in public service, involving postings tied to governmental duties, contributed to a household environment emphasizing structure and adaptability amid relocations within the country. Prior to the Mumbai move, the family experienced a period of separation when her parents pursued professional training in France for over a year, highlighting the demands of civil service roles on family life during her pre-teen years. These experiences underscored the interplay of personal stability and institutional obligations in shaping her formative perspectives on discipline and national service.

Private Relationships and Experiences

Meghna Pant has disclosed experiencing domestic abuse in a prior marriage, with the initial incident occurring on December 5, 2007, marking the start of a violent relationship that lasted several years. She has reflected publicly on this trauma, stating in 2024 that it had been 17 years since the abuse began, despite achieving personal and professional recovery. This experience directly informed her writing, including the novel (2022), described by Pant as drawing from her own encounters with marital violence, portraying the psychological and physical toll on victims. Pant is currently married to Sahil Kanuga, with whom she resides in . In a social media post, she praised Kanuga as an exemplary husband, father, and partner, highlighting the stability of this union in contrast to her past. The couple has at least one child, though details remain private. Pant's relational experiences underscore her advocacy against toxic dynamics, emphasizing verbal disclosure as essential to combating silence in abusive contexts, a theme recurrent in her discussions of gender-based violence. Beyond these disclosures, Pant shields much of her private life from public scrutiny, with no verified details on additional structures or long-term partnerships predating the abusive . Her multicultural exposures, including time abroad during journalistic postings, have influenced views on interpersonal ties, particularly contrasts between detachment and grounded Indian familial realities, though these insights manifest more in her critiques than personal anecdotes.

References

  1. https://www.[firstpost](/page/Firstpost).com/art-and-culture/meghna-pant-on-new-book-boys-dont-cry-women-are-not-rehabilitation-centers-for-men-10370751.html
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