Tarun J Tejpal is a journalist, publisher, and novelist. In a 26-year career, he has been an editor with the India Today and the Indian Express groups, and the managing editor of Outlook, India’s premier newsmagazine. In March 2000, he started Tehelka, a news organisation that has earned a global reputation for its aggressive public interest journalism.

In 2001, Asiaweek listed Tejpal as one of Asia’s 50 most powerful communicators, and BusinessWeek declared him among 50 leaders at the forefront of change in Asia. In 2007 The Guardian named him among the 20 who constitute Indias new elite. In 2009 BusinessWeek has named Tarun one of India’s 50 most powerful people.

Taruns debut novel, The Alchemy of Desire, published in 2005, was hailed by Sunday Times as “an impressive and memorable debut”. Le Figaro called it a “masterpiece”; and Nobel Laureate V.S. Naipaul declared, “At last – a new and brilliantly original novel from India.” Translated into more than a dozen languages, in France the book won the Prix Millepages and was the finalist for the prestigious Prix Femina.

Taruns second novel, The Story of My Assassins has been published in 2009 to rave reviews. Pankaj Mishra has said, It sets new and dauntingly high standards for Indian writing in English, while Altaf Tyrewala has called it an instant classic. He has just recently stepped down from his position as editor of the Tehelka magazine in light of charges of repeated sexual harassment brought against him by a female journalist.