3.2 Diksha Basu: Old Families, New Money - Capturing The Growing Upper Middle Class in India

Tara and Michelle talk to Diksha Basu, critically acclaimed author of The Windfall and Destination Wedding, about how she creates memorable characters with humor and empathy. This episode is sponsored by Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, who roast + brew India's best Arabica coffee. Use the code mentioned in the episode to get a 10% discount on all coffee purchases over INR 400. Offer valid till 31st July, 2021.Diksha shares how her mentor, Gary Shteyngart, gave her the confidence to create characters completely different from herself. Tara and Michelle love that her older women characters are inspired by her grandmother and the other badass women in her life. Her latest book, Destination Wedding, is being adapted to the screen! Why does she love translations? Why is Delhi such an important part of her stories? How did her book create a bidding war? Tune in to find out!Diksha Basu is a writer and occasional actor. Originally from New Delhi, India, she holds a BA in Economics from Cornell University and an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University and now divides her time between New York City and Mumbai. Buy her latest book here: https://www.amazon.in/Destination-Wedding-Diksha-Basu/dp/1526630494 Book Recommendations:A Bad Character by Deepti KapoorLuster by Raven LeilaniLeave the World Behind by Rumaan AlamAuthors She Loves:Chimamanda AdichieZadie Smith Arunava SinhaMeena Kandasamy'Books and Beyond with Bound' is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D'costa of Bound talk to some of the best writers in India and find out what makes them tick. Read more: https://boundindia.com/books-and-beyond-podcast/ Follow us @boundindia on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. If you’re looking for a mentor to guide you through your writing journey, DM us or send us an email at [email protected]. Want to know more about publishing?Tune in to our brand new publishing podcast ‘The Book People’: https://boundindia.com/the-book-people-podcast/ OR Download our FREE research report on ‘Demystifying Indian Publishing’: https://boundindia.com/demystifying-the-indian-publishing-industry/ Applications for The Bound Publishing Course 2026 are now open.The Bound Publishing Course is a 3-month intensive course on book, magazine, and digital publishing. Through live sessions, workshops, and industry-facing projects, participants gain practical publishing skills and exposure to careers across the industry.Cohort size: 50 seatsFirst round of acceptances: 15th June 2026Applications are reviewed on a rolling bas‘Books and Beyond with Bound’ is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D’costa uncover how their books reflect the realities of our lives and society today. Find out what drives India’s finest authors: from personal experiences to jugaad research methods, insecurities to publishing journeys. Created by Bound, a storytelling company that helps you grow through stories. Follow us @boundindia on all social media platforms.