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Sunday Nov 24, 2024
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The much anticipated longlist for the $ 25,000 DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2017 was announced last week by eminent feminist writer and publisher Ritu Menon, who is the chair of the jury panel for the distinguished prize.
The longlist of 13 novels which was unveiled at the Oxford Bookstore in New Delhi, represents a diverse mix of established writers and debut novelists from different backgrounds and geographies. It includes seven Indian writers, three Pakistani writers, two Sri Lankan writers and one American writer based in India. An interesting facet which emerges is the intertwining of South Asian life with the global landscape as the novels seamlessly move across multiple characters, settings and geographies. The longlist comprises three debut novels and also includes two translated entries where the original writing has been in Tamil and Malayalam.
Apart from authors based in the South Asian region there were several examples of authors who were based outside the region and who incisively explored South Asian life and culture from an outside perspective. The longlist announcement event was attended by publishers, authors and literary enthusiasts who welcomed the selection of the longlist.
This year the DSC Prize received more than 60 eligible entries and the five member international jury panel diligently went through these entries to arrive at this year’s longlist of 13 novels which they feel represent the best works of fiction related to the South Asian region.
The longlisted entries contending for the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2017 are:
Speaking on the occasion, Ritu Menon, Chair of the jury commented, “It gives me enormous pleasure to announce this Longlist of 13 wonderful novels for the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2017. Speaking for myself it was also a great pleasure to read this year’s submissions, remarkable for their range, energy and generational sweep. As a jury, we were struck by several exceptional qualities in the novels selected: their inventiveness and creativity, both of subject matter and in literary treatment. We admired the maturity and humanity of the perspective they brought to bear on their characters, and the delicacy of their observations on difficult or troubled situations. We were beguiled by their wit and humour, as well as impressed by the versatility of their skill when dealing with history. And we were reminded that, although the writers’ preoccupations may be universal and their sensibility cosmopolitan, their voices are distinctly South Asian.”
The jury will now deliberate on the longlist over the next month and the shortlist of five or six books for the DSC Prize 2017 will be announced on 27 September at the London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) in London. Thereafter the jury would meet once again to arrive at the final winner that would be announced at a special Award Ceremony at the Dhaka Literary Festival on 18 November.
Surina Narula, co-founder of the DSC Prize said, “I would like to thank the jury members for going through all the entries received for the DSC Prize 2017 and commend them for coming up with such an excellent longlist. I feel each of the novels on the longlist is a must read as they successfully bring out the nuances and challenges of the ever evolving South Asian life. I find the longlist particularly exciting as it includes some well known authors as well as new novelists who are making a mark on the South Asian literary canvas. The longlist of 13 novels also includes translations as well as works of authors based in different countries all of which bring in diverse perspectives and raise relevant issues. Now in its seventh year, the DSC Prize has been successful in bringing the immense talent writing about the South Asian region to a larger global audience. I would like to congratulate each of the longlisted authors and wish them the very best. Given such a strong longlist, it will be interesting to see which books make it to the shortlist from here.”
The announcement was preceded by readings by designer and theatre artist Oroon Das who read from Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri which won the DSC Prize in 2015 and from Sleeping on Jupiter by Anuradha Roy which won the DSC Prize in 2016.
The DSC Prize for South Asian Literature prides itself on a thorough and transparent judging process and is modeled on global best practices. The 5 member international jury panel, which comprises literary luminaries drawn from diverse geographies and expertise, is solely responsible for deciding and arriving at the longlist, the shortlist and the ultimate winner and their adjudication is final.
This year’s international jury panel includes Ritu Menon, Jury Chair and eminent feminist writer who has commented on a wide range of gender issues affecting the South Asian region, Valentine Cunningham, Professor Emeritus of English language and Literature at Oxford University, UK who has authored several books on Victorian fiction and poetry, Steven Bernstein, celebrated screenwriter, director, author, cinematographer and lecturer based out of Los Angeles, USA, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, respected journalist, pundit, radio and television broadcaster, based in London who has written extensively on society, culture and feminism, and Senath Walter Perera, Senior Professor in English, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka who has authored several publications on the diasporic and postcolonial literature of the region.
