Distinguished Kannada writer and Jnanpith awardee U.R. Ananthamurthy is among the six authors shortlisted for this year’s $50,000 DSC Prize for South Asian Literature.
He has been selected for his widely acclaimed novel Bharathipura (translated into English by Susheela Punitha), which reflects his lifelong preoccupation with transcending caste and class interests in modern society.
The Prize was instituted last year to recognise the best writing about the South Asian region.
Others on the shortlist are: Kavery Nambisan (The Story that Must Not Be Told’); Chandrakanta (A Street in Srinagar); Usha K.R. (Monkey-man); Tabish Khair (The Thing About Thugs); and Shehan Karunatilaka (Chinaman).
Announcing the shortlist at a glitzy function here on Tuesday at the end of a two-week-long DSC South Asian Literature Festival, Ira Pande, chairperson of the jury, regretted that “some of the terrific novels’’ had to be left out — “a cross that every jury has had to carry’’.
She said: “The task before the jury was not easy; the main hurdle was how to sift the clever and stylish from the real and true tale. All of us were united in feeling that a novel by any definition must have a strong tale to tell. While there will always be legitimate differences between jury members on individual choices, I think we were fortunate this year in arriving at a broad consensus on what we were looking for.’’
The winner will be announced at the DSC Jaipur Literature Festival on January 21, 2012.
Manhad Narula, Director, DSC Limited, sponsors of the prize, said the jury had a “challenging task in narrowing down the long list to the shortlist of the most deserving six’’. “These represent the finest works of fiction pertaining to the South Asian region,’’ he said.
Organisers described the prize as “a first-of-its-kind initiative’’ specifically focusing on the richness and diversity of South Asian writing.
“The prize is also unique since it is not ethnicity driven in terms of the author’s origin and is open to any author belonging to any part of the globe as long as the work is based on the South Asian region and its people,’’ they said in a statement.
Last year, it was won by Pakistani author H.M. Naqvi for his debut novel Home Boy.
Keywords: Ananthamurthy, Bharathipura, DSC Prize
ALL THE BEST SIR(U.R.A)
Dr.U.R.Ananthamurthy is one of the seminal writers in kannada literature.He is said to have influenced a genre of young writers in kannada.His socialistic language coupled with leftist leanings has left a mark on the young generation.He knows the art of presentation of a current theme.The only novel which made an imprint on kannada soil is Samscaara.Bharatipura makes only the aspirations of the writer clear.Prof.Murthy intends to change the Indian society by practicing implanted revolutionary ideas of the west confounded by his socialistic philosophy.How can a society change by a piece of literature? Change is a temporal phenomena.Indian roots are strong to absorb the best ideas from any where.History has influenced human sensibilities.How can literature shape aggregate human behaviour?
Language acquires power not by ism inducted,but by influencing the thought process.The right knowledge comes from intra-personal growth,not by impeding thinking process.His craftsmanship is unique.
Congratulations to Mr. Ananthmurthy. I have read couple of his short stories translated in Marathi and also his exhaustive interview published in Saadhana, a socialist weekly founded by Sane Guruji.
The news says, "DSC South Asian Literature Festival, Ira Pande, chairperson of the jury, regretted that “some of the terrific novels’’ had to be left out — “a cross that every jury has had to carry’’. " In view of this, I would suggest that juries should publish the discussion and debates that short listed the literary works. It would help general reader and armature or promising writers understand what are the parameters of judging the literature. An award is never an incentive to the writer for she writes out of her own compulsion to articulate. So for the awards, including Nobel or Dyanpeeth, they are instituted out of the compulsion to bring glory and respect to the founder.
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