Viking scoops 'magnificent' historical saga by journalist Varagur in six-way auction

Viking has scooped a “magnificent” history of three Punjabi princesses by American journalist Krithika Varagur in a six-way auction. Alpana Sajip, assistant editor, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to The Singh Princesses from Fiona Baird at WME. The publication date is to be confirmed. 

The Singh Princesses follows sisters Bamba, Catherine and Sophia Singh, who were godchildren of Queen Victoria and lived among British royalty as their father, the last Maharaja of the Sikh empire, had been exiled from India. The sisters would go on to play significant roles in British and Indian life in the late 19th to mid-20th century as suffragettes, vocal advocates for Indian independence and allies to Jews wanting to escape Nazi Germany.

Sajip said the story “completely upends our expectations about race and class in Britain, offering a fresh perspective and a new kind of narrative history”.

Varagur is a senior speechwriter at Fenway, a communications firm founded by former president Barack Obama’s speechwriters. Previously she has been the primary correspondent in Indonesia for the Guardian and the Financial Times.

Varagur said: “I couldn’t be more excited to write about the Singh princesses, whose stories raise urgent and fascinating questions about empire, migration, identity and belonging. I’m absolutely thrilled that this book found a home in the UK and Commonwealth with Alpana Sajip and her brilliant team at Viking.” 

Sajip said added: “This story really blew me away. It completely up-ends our expectations about race and class in Britain, offering a fresh perspective and a new kind of narrative history. Krithika is a magnificent writer with an exceptional talent for finding the sources that no one else thought to look for, and she renders these astonishing lives on the page with a magic touch. I’m delighted to be working with her to bring this cinematic story to the world.”