2-indians-in-asian-prize-for-fiction-shortlist

Books by two Indian authors and one writer of Indian origin have made it to the shortlist of the Asian Prize for Fiction, an award which celebrates the nuanced and diverse voices that shape the global literary landscape.

Besides Witch in the Peepul Tree by Arefa Tehsin, Rescuing a River Breeze by Mrinalini Harchandrai and Woman Who Climbed Trees by Nepali-Indian writer Smriti Ravindra, the other three shortlisted books are Nigerian writer Ayobami Adebayo's Spell of Good Things, The Idle Stance of the Tippler Pigeon by Safinah Danish Elahi of Pakistan and Sri Lankan-American author VV Ganeshananthan's Brotherless Nights, PTI reported.

Each narrative offers a nuanced portrayal of life, weaving together an intricate tapestry of human experiences from different corners of the world, the organisers said.

Following an extensive process spanning seven months, 13 group discussions were conducted by five book clubs from Africa, Asia, and Europe, according to the Asian Review. This global participation resulted in the identification of the six books for the shortlist from the 10-book longlist.

From the shortlist, three books will be selected to The Asian Trio. The winner will be determined by a composite criterion encompassing book club-based selection, a public poll, and evaluation by the Asian Committee. The Asian Committee consists of five permanent members and three rotating members annually.

The Trio or the super-shortlist will be announced on November 13.