Sujatha Gidla

Sujatha Gidla

Sujatha Gidla is best known as a writer and New York City subway train conductor. She became famous for her debut novel Ants Among Elephants, in which she shares her story and that of her family, who struggled under India’s caste system.

She was born in the lowest caste in India, but was lucky to get a Western education thanks to the intervention of missionaries.

When Sujatha Gidla was twenty-six, she moved to the United States. She worked in a variety of jobs, including banking and software. However, she decided to become a conductor because she wanted to work in something that involved working with people.

At some point, she realized how unique her story was. Coming from a family shaped by politics and struggle, her uncles joined left-wing movements and organized labor, even as her mother fought gender oppression.

As a writer, Sujatha Gidla loves to share never-before-told stories. Having experienced the possibilities of education and the hardships of life as an untouchable in India, her work shows her journey from being a member of an oppressed class to a voice sharing a story of resilience and courage.

In her book Ants Among Elephants, the author tells the story of Sujatha Gidla, who was born in the lowest caste of India - the untouchables.

Since she was born an untouchable, she found herself in a group that was usually denied education. The good thing was that her family got an education from Canadian missionaries. As such, she went to good schools, and at twenty-six, she moved to the United States.

Manjula, her mother, and her uncles, Carey and Satyam, were brought up under British rule and faced political turmoil, oppression, and poverty. She would become a left-wing guerrilla leader, poet, and labor organizer, even as her mother fought for the rights of women.

She shows their story, including their hardships, struggles, and love, and provides a perspective on her country’s history as an untouchable.

Related Authors

Fans of Sujatha Gidla also enjoy these authors:

1. David Baldacci, author of the Amos Decker Series.
2. Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander Series.
3. Jane Austen, author of: Pride and Prejudice.
4. Faye Kellerman, author of the Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus Series.
5. Alexander McCall Smith, author of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series.

Sujatha Gidla: F.A.Q