Arundhati Roy to announce shock retirement?

Sad news for Roy fans. Speculation had been rife that the author of the God of Small Things is about to announce her retirement from all public activities, at age 64, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 01/09/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being an author isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being an author-activist just isn't fun anymore,” she might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that she may branch out into other creative fields she is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouArundhati

For a little while on Monday evening, #ThankYouArundhati was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made her make the decision.

“Arundhati Roy was unlike any other author we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouArundhati”
— @universalObserver, 31 Aug 2026

“Roy wasn't retired?”
— @borisB0, 31 Aug 2026

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