The company of women by KHUSHWANT SINGH

Book Summary

The Company of Women (1999) is a bold and controversial novel by Khushwant Singh that follows Mohan Kumar, a recently divorced millionaire who decides to reinvent his life by placing a personal ad seeking paid female companionship. Convinced that “lust is the true foundation of love,” Mohan embarks on a series of erotic liaisons with a diverse group of women: Sarojini Bharadwaj, a reserved professor whose passion surprises him; Molly Gomes, a free‑spirited masseuse from Goa; Susanthika Goonatilleke, a spirited diplomat from Sri Lanka; and even his loyal maid Dhanno. Flashbacks to his earlier lovers—Jessica Browne from Princeton and Pakistani Yasmeen Wanchoo—add depth to his sexual history and personal restlessness.

Set against India’s newly wealthy, upper‑middle‑class milieu, the novel is an unapologetic exploration of desire, identity, and social mores. Told with characteristic wit and candor, Mohan’s journey becomes a meditation on compulsive sexuality, loneliness, and the quest for meaning. Ultimately, his promiscuity leads to tragedy: upon learning he has contracted AIDS, Mohan dies by suicide—a stark commentary on the costs of hedonism and emotional emptiness.

About the Author

Khushwant Singh (1915–2014) was one of India’s most widely read writers, journalists, and cultural critics. Educated in Lahore and at King’s College, Cambridge, he began his professional life as a lawyer before transitioning to journalism. He served as editor of notable publications including The Illustrated Weekly of India, National Herald, and Hindustan Times, and penned the famously acerbic weekly column “With Malice Towards One and All”. Singh authored both widely acclaimed fiction—like Train to Pakistan, Delhi: A Novel—and notable works of non‑fiction on Sikh history and Indian culture. Honored with the Padma Bhushan and later the Padma Vibhushan (which he famously returned), he remained a provocative and engaging literary force until his death at age 99. The Company of Women, penned in his early eighties, was conceived as “fantasies of an octogenarian,” and stirred debate for its frank portrayal of sexuality—yet it remains an entertaining and provocative part of his prolific legacy