Sai is a 17-year-old orphaned girl living in Kalimpong with her grandfather, Jemubhai Patel. Educated by English nuns after her parents die in Russia, she feels like a foreigner in her own country. She possesses a natural curiosity and yearns for a larger life outside the decaying walls of the Cho Oyu estate. Her westernized upbringing creates social isolation and cultural friction.

Jemubhai is a retired judge for the Indian Civil Service who lives in a stately, deteriorating Kalimpong manor called Cho Oyu. Born to a peasant family in Piphit, he travels to Cambridge as a young man, where relentless racism leaves him deeply ashamed of his Indian heritage. He adopts rigid, anglicized customs and rules his household with cruel authority, isolating himself from his surrounding community.

The Cook is an elderly servant who has spent his entire adult life working for Jemubhai Patel. He lives in a mud hut on the Cho Oyu property and makes extra money by brewing illegal liquor. Bent by years of labor and poverty, he survives on the hope that his son in America will eventually secure a wealthy, comfortable retirement for him.

Biju is a 19-year-old undocumented immigrant working a series of low-paying restaurant jobs in New York City. He travels to America at his father's urging but faces constant fear of immigration raids and terrible living conditions. Biju wrestles with maintaining his Hindu principles in a foreign culture while enduring exploitation by employers.

Gyan is an educated young Nepali man from a poor family in Kalimpong. He comes from a long line of Gorkhas who served in the British military, a family history that weighs heavily on him. He struggles to reconcile his budding romance with Sai with his growing resentment toward her westernized lifestyle and wealth.

Noni, also known as Nonita, is a spinster who lives with her sister Lola at the Mon Ami estate. She works as a tutor to help pay for home repairs, eventually teaching Sai. Noni takes a more sympathetic, gentle view of the local Nepali population and her own cultural displacement than her sister does.

Lola (Lalita) is a fiery, status-conscious widow living at Mon Ami with her sister. She takes immense pride in her daughter's work for the BBC in England and fills her home with imported British goods. She holds strong, critical opinions about the local Nepali population and refuses to apologize for her wealth.

Mutt is an English setter who lives at Cho Oyu. She receives premium care, imported food, and regular grooming from the household staff. As the sole recipient of the judge's genuine affection, she occupies a higher status in the home than the human servants.

Uncle Potty is a wealthy, Oxford-educated neighbor in Kalimpong. He spends much of his time drinking and reading comic books, maintaining a jovial presence in the community. He relies on his privileged background to coast through the region's mounting political tensions.

Father Booty is a Swiss monk who lives in Kalimpong. He runs a local dairy operation, producing cheese that he hopes to sell to regional restaurants. He deeply appreciates the natural beauty of the area and prefers traditional, local production over imported goods.

Harish-Harry is the shrewd owner of the Gandhi Cafe in New York City. He outwardly presents himself as a friendly, traditional Hindu businessman but privately cuts corners to maximize his profits. He forces his undocumented workers to live in the restaurant's basement while he saves for a luxury home in New Jersey.

Saeed Saeed is an immigrant from Zanzibar who works alongside Biju in New York City. He possesses a charismatic, resilient personality that draws people to him. Saeed views America as a game to be won, using charm and strategic marriages to secure his place in the country.

Nimi is the beautiful daughter of a wealthy merchant who marries Jemubhai Patel before he leaves for Cambridge. She maintains her traditional Indian customs, which severely angers her deeply anglicized husband. Her inability to assimilate to his strict English standards subjects her to relentless cruelty.

Mrs. Sen is a neighbor in Kalimpong whose daughter works in the United States. She frequently visits Mon Ami to knit and chat with Noni and Lola. She often engages in competitive banter with Lola, comparing the respective successes of their daughters living abroad.

Pradhan is the leader of the local Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF). He uses his newfound authority to intimidate the wealthy, westernized residents of Kalimpong. He mocks the complaints of the local elite, wielding his power with a mix of threat and cruel humor.

Bose is an Indian student who befriends Jemubhai during their days at Cambridge. He helps educate the deeply depressed young man in English diction and history. Years later, he attempts to reconnect with his old friend over a meal, only to face cold rejection.

Achootan is a dishwasher in New York's Financial District. He seeks an American green card out of a sense of resentment rather than a desire for safe harbor, harboring deep anger toward the white people who have rejected him.

Mr. Kakkar is a travel agent who frequents the Gandhi Cafe. When Biju considers giving up his American life, Mr. Kakkar acts as a sounding board, warning the young man about the poor quality of life he will face upon returning to India.