Bestselling author Koral Dasgupta, known for her five-part Sati series, is set to bring together 22 writers for Stree Sutra, an anthology that turns the spotlight on lesser-known female figures from Indian mythology and folklore. The book is scheduled to release on September 10, 2026.
Moving beyond the more familiar women of the Indian epics, Stree Sutra explores the stories of Apsaras, Yakshinis, Gandharvis, Nagas, Yoginis and other celestial and mythical women whose presence can be traced through regional legends, folktales and local beliefs across the subcontinent.
Edited by Dasgupta, the 480-page anthology draws from myths, legends, epics and oral traditions to revisit these figures as powerful guardians associated with people, forests, mountains and river valleys. The book also examines how their stories intersect with questions of gender, power, ecology and spirituality.
One of the key aspects of the anthology is the range of voices it brings together. Its contributors include Anand Neelakantan, Anuja Chandramouli, Deep Halder, Harsheath Chauhan, Himanjali Sankar, Jeffery D. Long, K. Hari Kumar, Kavita Kané, Kena Shree, Kiran Manral, Koral Dasgupta, Madhavi Mahadevan, Mona Lisa Jena, Mona Verma, Neil D’Silva, Priyanka S. Kaintura, Ramanjaneya Sharaph, Saiswaroopa Iyer, Shinie Antony, Sunita Pant Bansal, Sweety Shinde and Utkarsh Patel.
With authors from different literary, cultural and regional backgrounds, the collection seeks to offer multiple interpretations of the feminine in Indian mythology while allowing each contributor to retain their individual narrative style.
The anthology also attempts to challenge conventional patriarchal readings of mythology by reclaiming the agency and leadership of women who have often remained on the margins of popular retellings. By presenting research and traditions through stories rather than academic narratives, the book aims to make these relatively unexplored figures accessible to a wider readership.
Dasgupta is the author of nine books, including the acclaimed Sati series. Ahalya, the first title in the series, was recommended for the 2023 Sahitya Akademi Prize Honour List, while her works have also received nominations for the Sushila Devi and AutHer awards.
An author, TEDx speaker and narrative strategist, Dasgupta has worked extensively at the intersection of mythology, gender, leadership, ecology and philosophy. She is also the founder of TellMeYourStory.biz, a platform that uses literature to encourage conversations around social and behavioural change.
Dasgupta is currently working on a book examining women’s leadership in India under a national fellowship programme, with a focus on moving beyond gender-based perceptions of human talent.
