Ashish Ranjan
The Booker Prize Foundation announced on Tuesday that Tamil author Perumal Murugan has been included on the 2023 International Booker Prize longlist.Perumal Murugan’s 2016 novel “Pyre,” translated from the Tamil by Aniruddhan Vasudevan, makes the prestigious list. In “Pyre,” an intercaste couple’s elopement sets in motion a story of ominous foreboding.
The 56-year-old author is the first Tamil author to be included on the list of 13 works. Her book “Tomb of Sand” made Geetanjali Shree the first Indian author to receive the award, which recognises translated works, in 2013.The jury of the prize referred to Perumal Murugan as a “great anatomist of power and, in particular, of the deep, deforming rot of caste enmity and violence.”
Perumal Murugan, who resides in Salem, Tamil Nadu, characterised “Pyre” as one of his most significant works.A few moments ago, someone broke the news to me. This is a tremendous affirmation of my writing, and I am ecstatic. “Pyre” deals with honour murdering. “Honor killings are a major problem in our nation, and I hope that more people become aware of this issue as a result of this award,” Perumal Murugan told PTI over the phone.
“A System So Magnificent It Is Blinding” by Amanda Svensson and translated by Nichola Smalley, “Still Born” by Guadalupe Nettle and translated by Rosalind Harvey, “While We Were Dreaming” by Clemens Meyer and translated by Katy Derbyshire, and “The Birthday Party” by Laurent Mauvignier and translated by Daniel Levin Becker.
“Jimi Hendrix Live in Lviv” by Andrey Kurkov and translated by Rueben Woolley, “Is Mother Dead” by Vigdis Hjorth and Charlotte Barslund, “Standing Heavy” by GauZ’ and translated by Frank Wynne, “Time Shelter” by Georgi Gospondinov and Angela Rodel, “The Gospel According to the New World” by Maryse Conde and Richard Philcox, “Whale” by Che
Complementing the Booker Prize for Fiction, the international honour is awarded annually to a single English-language book published in the United Kingdom or Ireland.The victor receives a prize of 50,000 pounds, which is divided equally between the author and translator.
The most rewarding aspect of this experience was reading books from all over the world, with a wide range of formats and subject matter. LeCHECKla Slimani, chair of the International Booker Prize 2023 judges, said in a statement, “We have attempted to reflect the diverse preferences of each judge in this list.”
She stated that the list is a commemoration of the power of language and authors who pushed formal inquiry to its limits.
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“We wanted to celebrate literary ambition, flair, and originality, as well as the talent of translators who have been able to convey all of this with great ability,” she explained.
