New Jersey Author’s Debut Novel Makes A Mark On Amazon
India-West Staff Reporter
NEWARK, NJ – ‘The Girl in Scarlet Hijab,’ the debut novel by entrepreneur and academic Suresh U. Kumar, has reached the #1 spot on Amazon’s bestseller list in the Indian and Asian Literature category. Published by Rupa Publications, the historical fiction novel has also been shortlisted for the 2025 Delhi Literature Festival Jury Award and was featured at this year’s Kerala Literature Festival.
Set in 1980s Kerala, the novel interweaves political unrest with personal and ideological conflicts, drawing from the backdrop of India’s freedom movement. The story follows three young friends—two men and a girl in a scarlet hijab—caught in the midst of escalating student protests, a collapsing government, and an unfolding conspiracy tied to an assassination attempt. At the center of the narrative is a young woman whose leadership and moral resolve come to define the course of events.
The book combines elements of political intrigue, historical reflection, and emotional storytelling to examine themes of resistance, loyalty, betrayal, and love. Framed as a multi-generational family saga, ‘The Girl in Scarlet Hijab’ explores the legacy of activism and sacrifice in shaping modern India.
Suresh U. Kumar, originally from Kochi, is currently based in New Jersey. He serves as a professor and Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He is also the founder of AI startup The New Frontier Firm and a board member of the New Jersey chapter of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), a global nonprofit supporting entrepreneurship.
Kumar’s professional background spans academia, technology, and non-profit leadership. He co-founded his first company in 1999 and has remained active in mentoring startups. His interest in history and storytelling is rooted in childhood memories of listening to accounts of the Indian independence struggle and World War II from family members, including his father, a former sailor in the British Indian Navy.
