ANUK ARUDPRAGASAM WINS THE DSC PRIZE FOR 2017

Anuk Arudpragasam has been announced the winner of the prestigious DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2017 for his novel, The Story of a Brief Marriage at the Dhaka Lit on the 18th November, 2017.

In a glittering award ceremony, the US $25,000 DSC Prize was awarded to the winner along with a unique trophy by Hon'ble Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Minister of Finance of Bangladesh. The writers, publishers, media and literary enthusiasts that had gathered at the Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad Auditorium at the Bangla Academy for the finale of the Dhaka Lit Fest enthusiastically applauded the winner.

The five shortlisted authors and novels in contention for the DSC Prize this year were Anjali Joseph: The Living (Fourth Estate, HarperCollins, UK), Anuk Arudpragasam, The Story of a Brief Marriage (Granta Books, UK), Aravind Adiga, Selection Day (Fourth Estate, HarperCollins, India), Karan Mahajan, The Association of Small Bombs (Chatto & Windus, UK & Viking, USA & Fourth Estate, HarperCollins, India) and Stephen Alter,  In the Jungles of the Night (Aleph Book Company, India)

Speaking on the occasion, on behalf of the jury, Ritu Menon said, "The jury met and discussed the shortlisted novels in detail. As all the shortlisted novels had considerable strengths and remarkable literary quality, deciding the winner was not an easy task. However, the jury agreed that Anuk Arudpragasam was the best possible choice for The Story of a Brief Marriage. The novel is impressive for its intensity and rich detail, and for exploring the tragic heart of war with such quiet eloquence. It is also a testament to the redemptive power of love, and to the human spirit's capacity for hope."

The DSC Prize for South Asian Literature is an established international literary prize that awards the best work in South Asian fiction writing each year. This year the DSC Prize received 60 eligible entries with participation from publishers from the South Asian region as well as from countries like the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia and South Africa amongst others.

Congratulating the winner, Surina Narula, MBE and co-founder of the DSC Prize said, "My heartfelt congratulations to Anuk Arudpragasam for winning the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2017. This year the shortlisted novels were all equally exciting with diverse subjects which brought out the nuances and the changing dynamics in South Asian life in a unique and evocative way. It must have been a tough task for the jury members to choose from these five exceptional contenders and arrive at the eventual winner. We are honored to be invited to give the award this year in Bangladesh. The DSC Prize has now completed seven successful years, and it remains focused on recognizing and showcasing the immense talent writing about the South Asian region and bringing it to a larger global audience."

The DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2017 was judged by a diverse and distinguished  panel. This year's international jury panel included 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.

About the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature:

The US $25,000 DSC Prize for South Asian Literature, which was instituted by Surina Narula and Manhad Narula in 2010, is now one of the most prestigious international literary awards and is specifically focused on South Asian writing. It is a unique and coveted prize and is open to authors of any ethnicity or nationality as long as the writing is about South Asia and its people.

Now in its 7th year, the DSC Prize has been successful in bringing South Asian writing to a larger global audience through rewarding and showcasing the achievements of the authors writing about this region.