Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay

About

Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay, who goes by Raj, is an American writer, science communicator, and novelist of Bengali heritage. She initially pursued a career in science, earning a PhD in biochemistry and cellular and molecular biology from Johns Hopkins University. After completing her studies, she turned to science communication, working for nearly two decades as a science journalist, editor, and writer. Her work has appeared in various print and digital publications in the United States and the United Kingdom, and she has held editorial positions in scientific publishing. Although Mukhopadhyay built a successful career explaining scientific ideas to broad audiences, her childhood ambition was to become a novelist. She eventually returned to creative writing, drawing on her interest in human relationships, cultural identity, and the complexities of everyday life. Her debut novel, Chitra Demands to Go Home, was published by Modern Artist Press in May 2026. The novel follows an elderly Bengali woman navigating an unfamiliar American assisted-living facility and explores ageing, family obligations, and the meaning of home. Mukhopadhyay was selected as a 2025 Fiction Fellow for Poets & Writers’ Get the Word Out publicity incubator.