Nigar Alam
PakistanAbout
Nigar Alam is a Pakistani-born novelist whose writing explores family, identity, cultural belonging, and the lasting effects of historical upheaval. Born in Karachi, Pakistan, she spent her childhood living in Turkey, Nigeria, Italy, Kenya, Indonesia, and the United States before returning to Karachi. Her international upbringing and connection to Pakistan inform her interest in the ways people navigate different cultures and social expectations. Alam holds an MBA and is a certified public accountant, with professional experience in brand management and auditing. She later became a college instructor and lives with her family in Minnesota. Her debut novel, Under the Tamarind Tree (2023), follows four friends in Karachi whose lives are shaped by a tragic event and its consequences across generations. The novel was longlisted for the Center for Fiction’s 2023 First Novel Prize.
