Vikram Chandra is an acclaimed Indian-American writer, known for his profound narratives and intricate storytelling. Born in New Delhi in 1961, he spent his formative years at Mayo College, a boarding school in Ajmer, Rajasthan. Following a brief academic stint at St. Xavier's College in Mumbai, Chandra moved to the United States for his undergraduate studies. In 1984, he graduated magna cum laude from Pomona College in Claremont, California, with a Bachelor's degree in English, focusing on creative writing.

Chandra's literary journey took a significant turn when he attended the Film School at Columbia University in New York. It was there, in the Columbia library, that he fortuitously discovered the autobiography of Colonel James "Sikander" Skinner, a legendary soldier of mixed Indian and British heritage from the nineteenth century. This encounter inspired Chandra's novel, Red Earth and Pouring Rain, marking a pivotal moment in his writing career.