History of Modern Indian Nepali Literature is a documentation of a separate and independent history of modern Nepali literature in the context of a multilingual and multicultural nation like India. While it is inevitable to be free from preceding influences and traditions when it comes to writing histories of literatures, it is imperative that such pressure should not come in the way of writing creatively about the subject. Keeping the same in view, this book is an attempt at pointing out the distinctions between Indian Nepali literature and Nepali literature from Nepal. Besides tracing the historical growth and development of modern Indian Nepali literature, this treatise evinces particularities of thoughts and ideas, distinct stylistic innovations and practices marked by, a sense of ineluctable contemporaneity.
Jiwan Namdung (b. 1951) is an eminent Nepali writer who has 52 publications to his credit, including translated and edited books. Apart from this, he has edited several Nepali monthlies and literary magazines like Jagaran, Tewa, Diyalo and Aalekh. He has received many national and international awards like Ratnashree Award from Kathmandu, Sahitya Akademi Award, Lifetime Achievement Award from Sikkim Government, Deokota Satabdi Samman from Nepal, Spandan Award from Kuwait and Giri Puraskar from Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, Darjeeling.

A separate and independent history of Indian Nepali literature had not been written till now. This work is a new and humble step in that direction. It is imperative and of primary significance for history of Nepali language and literature to have its own identity and practice in a multilingual and multicultural nation like India. Instead what one sees are profusion of works and so called histories of literature front Nepal being advanced as Nepali literature and published and recommended for university level curricula. Such a phenomenon has made us suspects in the eyes of our very own nation as Indian subjects. It has taken or many years to overcome the prejudice that having a common language does not necessarily imply a common literature. This book attempts to point out the dividing lines between the Indian Nepali literature and Nepali literature from Nepal. It is inevitable to be free from preceding influences and traditions when it comes to writing histories of literatures. However, the pressure of those influences and traditions should not come in the way of writing creatively about the subject. History of literature has its own responsibilities, limitations, styles, rationale and justifications which becomes clear when it is read by students and researchers alike as well as by those in other professions and fields to gain information about the history of that literature.
In the present scenario, writers of textbooks have turned into literary historians which has led to a somewhat narrowed understanding of the literary history that diminishes its range. Litterateurs are not just limited to names found in textbooks. Those that lie outside the textbooks are also litterateurs. This book has tried to include writers who have hitherto remained outside the purview of textbooks and has tried to throw light into their contributions. Until the tendency of conflating literature with textbooks is removed from among our teachers of language and literature the actual history of our literature cannot be written down.
Since literature and language are not one and the same thing I have thrown light on the historical growth and development of modern Nepali literature in this book. The sections contained in this book only refer to the growth of modern Indian Nepali literature and do not refer to the entire history of Indian Nepali literature.
Apart from contactual references made to Nepali language which is scattered throughout this book, this book does not engage with the linguistic growth of Nepali. However, there are Instances giving summarized understanding of modem Nepali literary art, its craft and style, its trends and traditions of practices. Within the canvas of contemporary Indian literature, modern Indian Nepali literature evinces particularities of thoughts and ideas, distinct stylistic innovations and practices with an equal sense of the contemporaneous. New trends seen in Nepali writings which have not been discussed at length due to paucity of space in modern Nepali literature is an area open to new directions. With writings that represent distinct stylistic experimentations and changing values in life such as the Ayamik Lekhan (Dimensional Writings) (1963), Collage (1974), Sankraman Lekhan (writings in the transitional period) (1990), vichalan (2007-2010) and kinarikaran (marginal writings) (2009) the study of modern Nepali literature is broadening. The concept of these writings mentioned here will be elaborated in the next edition of this book.
It took a long time for me to write this book. However, I could not write it the way I wanted to. In course of writing this book I was fortunate to have the support of my seniors, young people and friends. I enjoyed the facility and full cooperation of my family to write this book. Without the support of my son and daughter -Sukant, Guinn - my wife Mina Lama, eminent poet Monica Mukhia and Milan Bantawa this book would not have been possible to write. I am grateful to the former Convener of Nepali Advisory Board, (Sallitya Akademi, New Delhi) and well-known Nepali critic and fiction writer Prem Pradhan and rest of the other members. Special thanks to Sahitya Akademi for attractive publication. I shall make every effort to include names of respected litterateurs whose worthy works have been unintentionally missed out in this edition in the next one.