Ullekh NP is an author, journalist and political commentator based in New Delhi and Kerala. He has over two decades of experience working with India’s biggest news publications such as The Economic Times, Mint and India Today. He writes on international and domestic politics, economy, governance, public health, cyber security and cryptocurrencies. He is currently executive editor at OPEN magazine.
He was the subject of episode 1 of the award-winning documentary web series Love Storiyaan, which released worldwide on Valentine’s Day 2024 on Amazon Prime.
Honoured in 2022 by the Kerala Media Academy for his contribution to journalism, Ullekh has authored four acclaimed nonfiction books and is a frequent guest on national and international television channels. A bilingual writer and speaker, he is often invited to speak at media academies, literature festivals and public events on politics, media trends, current affairs and foreign relations. As a journalist, Ullekh has done extensive interviews with luminaries from various professional backgrounds around the world. He is a football buff, and is currently working on two nonfiction titles related to his home-state Kerala.
Books by Ullekh N.P.
Mad About Cuba: A Malayali Revisits the Revolution (Penguin Random House, 2024) is part-travelogue and part-political commentary about the Caribbean nation. This book — which is Ullekh’s fourth nonfiction work — shines light on the great strides Cuba has made in biotechnology, education, public health, pharmaceuticals and agriculture and how it is coping in the face of deepening economic troubles and outmigration. Through conversations with senior bureaucrats, scientists at Cuba’s fabled pharma research institutes, youth beginning their careers, students and many others, Ullekh paints an intimate and objective picture of the nation that has managed to withstand American sanctions for over six decades. Buy the book on Amazon.
Kannur: Inside India’s Bloodiest Revenge Politics (Penguin Viking, 2018) was an Amazon number one bestseller for four weeks after its launch, and was widely covered in the media. The book explores why the Kannur region of north Kerala is so susceptible to vendetta politics and deadly violence. How is it an anomaly in Kerala, the state with the highest social development parameters in India? Born in Kannur and brought up amidst some of the tallest political leaders of the state, Ullekh delves into his personal experiences while constructing a modern-day graph that charts out the reasons, motivations and local lore behind it. Buy it on Amazon. (It is also available in Malayalam.)
The Untold Vajpayee: Politician and Paradox (Penguin Viking, 2016) is a biography of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, one of India’s shrewdest politicians, known for negotiating multiple contradictions. Exploring crucial milestones of Vajpayee’s career and his traits as a seasoned politician, the book looks at his love-hate association with RSS and its feeder organizations. Thoroughly researched, supported by hard facts and accompanied by inside stories and anecdotes, the book opens a window to life and times of a poet politician. You can buy The Untold Vajpayee on Amazon. (It is also available in Hindi and Marathi).
War Room: The People, Tactics and Technology Behind Narendra Modi’s 2014 Win (Roli Books, 2015) was Ullekh’s first book. He covered the 2014 national elections extensively, from the badlands of Uttar Pradesh to the Orissa hinterland, from Modi’s hometown Vadnagar to the capital city’s corridors of power. This book takes you behind the scenes into how a political brand was built in a country as multi-dimensional as India. You can buy War Room on Flipkart and Amazon.
Contact: ullekh (at) gmail (dot) com
Ullekh NP 