Contemporary Short Story in Indian Writing in English

Abstract

In modern times short stories have become a powerful medium of literary expression. The short story as a literary form was very popular in ancient India. Short story originated in ancient India and works like Panchatantra, Kathasaritsagar and the Jatak Tales are good examples of short stories. It was from India that the Arabs borrowed this form and transmitted it to the west. The evolution of the short story first began before humans could write. A short story is a brief work of literature, usually written in narrative prose. It is one of the oldest types of literature. It has existed in many forms such as myths, fairy tales, ballads, and parables. However, the modern form of the short story in India owes a good deal to western short story of the 19^th and 20th centuries. Indian authors in the early part of the 20^th century worked on the models provided by American, British, Russian, and French story writers. Historical events have also continued to have their impact on the Indian short story. Mulk Raj Anand, R.K. Narayan, Raja Rao, and others in the form of short stories give their contribution to its development.