Shilpi Somaya Gowda is an award-winning and New York Times bestselling author, who has made a significant impact in the contemporary and adult fiction genres. She was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, to parents who had emigrated from Mumbai, India. Gowda's educational background includes a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MBA from Stanford University. It was during her time in college that she volunteered for a summer at an orphanage in India, an experience that would later inspire her to write her debut novel, "Secret Daughter."
"Secret Daughter," published in 2010, was a critically acclaimed and commercial success. The novel became a New York Times bestseller and was translated into over 30 languages, making it an international bestseller in several countries. The book explores the themes of identity, family, and culture through the lives of two women from different backgrounds. "Secret Daughter" was a finalist for the South African Boeke Literary Prize and the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, and it has been adapted into a feature film starring Priyanka Chopra and Sienna Miller.
Gowda's second novel, "The Golden Son," was published in 2015-2016 and was also a #1 international bestseller. The book was a Target Book Club Pick and was awarded the French literary prize, Prix des Lyceens Folio. "The Shape of Family," her third novel, was published in October 2019 in Canada and March 2020 in the U.S. Gowda's novels have been translated into over 30 languages and have sold more than two million copies worldwide.
In addition to her writing, Gowda has been actively involved in social work. She has served on the Advisory Board of the Children's Defense Fund and is a Patron of Childhaven International, the organization for which she volunteered in India. Gowda now lives in California with her husband and children. Her next novel, "A Great Country," will be published on 3/26/24 in North America and other territories.