I’m certain not many of us realise that writers are among the hardest-working professionals in the world and the greatest reward for all of a writer’s efforts is earning an award or recognition for their work.
In this regard, an Indian author has set the bar high after receiving a major prize, securing her place in history as the first Indian to receive the privilege at a renowned ceremony.
We are delighted to announce that the winner of the #2022InternationalBooker Prize is ‘Tomb of Sand’ by Geetanjali Shree, translated from Hindi to English by @shreedaisy and published by @tiltedaxispress@Terribleman @JeremyTiang @mervatim @VascoDaGappah @VivGroskop pic.twitter.com/TqUTew0Aem
— The Booker Prizes (@TheBookerPrizes) May 26, 2022
Recently, one of our Indian authors, Geetanjali Shree made history by scooping the coveted International Booker Prize for her Hindi novel Ret Samadhi, which was translated into English as Tomb of Sand by American translator Daisy Rockwell.
Originally published in Hindi in 2018, ‘Tomb of Sand’ is the first of her books to be published in the UK in English by Tilted Axis Press in August 2021.
Image credit: tatler
During her acceptance speech, Geetanjali said “I never dreamt of the Booker, I never thought I could. What a huge recognition, I’m amazed, delighted, honoured and humbled,”
“This is not just about me, the individual. I represent a language and culture and this recognition brings into larger purview the entire world of Hindi literature in particular and Indian literature as a whole,” expressed Geetanjali who also has three novels and several volumes of stories under her belt.
With this title, ‘Tomb of Sand’ has become the first novel in any Indian language to receive the booker prize.
Daisy Rockwell manages to navigate the nuances of multiple dialects and languages, from Hindi to Urdu, while capturing the playful tone in which Shree portrays her protagonist, an 80-year-old widower. This novel narrates the story of an 80-year-old woman who is depressed after her husband’s death. Eventually, she overcomes her depression and decides to visit Pakistan to finally confront the past that she left behind during the Partition.
The International Booker Prize 2022 which was held at One Marylebone in London on 26th May celebrates novels or anthologies from around the world and their translations. It provides an equal playing field for books written in different languages to thrive and highlights the often-overlooked work of translators in making these stories accessible to readers around the globe.
Congratulations to both Geetanjali Shree and Daisy Rockwell who made this historical feat.
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