Alok Rai is a prolific writer who has written extensively on a variety of subjects, such as literature, politics, language, and culture. His writings frequently examine the sociopolitical problems facing modern India and the nexus between literature and society.

His book "Hindi Nationalism," which explores how language and literature shaped the idea of nationalism in India's Hindi-speaking regions, is one of his most well-known works. The relationship between Hindi as a language and the related political and cultural forces is critically examined in this book.

The contributions of Alok Rai to Hindi literature and cultural studies have received widespread acclaim. For his scholarly work, he has won numerous honours and accolades, including the Sahitya Akademi Award for his critical essay "Samajik Kranti Aur Sahitya."