Vayu Naidu’s storytelling – written and oral – spans diaspora, urban, epic, folk and tribal stories inspired by multiple literary and performance traditions. Her first novel, Sita’s Ascent, was nominated for the Commonwealth Book Award. Her latest novel, The Living Legend: Ramayana Tales Near and Far, was published by Ebury in 2024. Naidu has written for British Theatre, BBC Radio Drama, and tours internationally as a Performance Storyteller. She is a Royal Literary Fund Bridge Fellow, and a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society. Naidu is Professor of Practice at The School of Arts, SOAS.
Vayu Naidu
What We Leave We Carry

Vayu Naidu
Exposed to brand names like Lipton Tea and Cadbury Chocolate as a child, Vayu Naidu already felt a familiarity with Britain on arriving here from India.
10th September 2025
Original Series

Encountering Malcolm X
Storyteller Vayu Naidu looks back at her 12-year-old self in 1969, learning about Malcolm X from her influential school teacher.
2nd May 2025
Reviews

Sister Midnight
Karan Kandhari's bizarre and humorous film breaks with the strictly gender-defined tropes of Bollywood
30th April 2025

Vayu Naidu
Vayu Naidu’s storytelling spans diaspora, urban, epic, folk and tribal stories inspired by multiple literary and performance traditions.






