After graduating from Oxford University, Tanika Gupta worked as a community worker and in an Asian women's refuge for several years. She began writing drama in the early 1990s. Tanika has written extensively for theatre, radio, film and television. Her play, The Waiting Room (National Theatre), won the John Whiting Award in 2000. Oberon Books publishes Gladiator Games (Sheffield Crucible), Sanctuary (National Theatre), Meet the Mukherjees (Bolton Octagon), Hobson's Choice (Young Vic), The Country Wife (Watford Palace), Catch (Royal Court), Fragile Land (Hampstead Theatre), Sugar Mummies (Royal Court), White Boy (National Youth Theatre/Soho Theatre), Wah! Wah! Girls, The Empress, her adaptation of Great Expectations (Watford Palace) and her collection, Tanika Gupta: Political Plays (2012). She was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement (2004), was the recipient of the Amnesty International Media Award (2005) for her radio play, Chitra and won the BBC Audio Drama Award 2013 for 'best adaptation' for her version of A Doll's House. Tanika was awarded an MBE in 2008.
