Roshen Dalal was born in Mussoorie and lived in various places in India, including Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi, before settling in Dehradun, where she now resides. She has an MA and a PhD in ancient Indian history from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. She has taught both at school and university and been involved in research in the fields of history, religion, philosophy and education. She is the author of the bestselling two-volume The Puffin History of India; The Puffin History of the World, also in two volumes; India at 70: Snapshots since Independence; The Religions of India: A Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths; Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide; The Vedas: An Introduction to Hinduism's Sacred Texts; The 108 Upanishads and The Compact Timeline History of the World. She has also written a novel, The Guru Who Came Down from the Mountain.