Tomb Of Sand By Geetanjali Shree first Hindi-language Work Longlisted For Booker Prize

The novel Tomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree is one of 13 works from around the world longlisted for the International Booker Prize, which was announced in London on Thursday. It is the first Hindi-language work of fiction to earn a spot in the esteemed literary prize.

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The novel is set in northern India, and it tells the story of an 80-year-old woman who falls into severe despair after her husband dies, then emerges with a new lease of life. She insists on going to Pakistan, much to her family's sorrow, in order to confront the unresolved anguish of her teenage partition memories while also re-evaluating what it means to be a mother, a daughter, a woman, and a feminist.

About The Jury

Frank Wynne, an Irish literary translator from French and Spanish, chairs the jury. The judging panel comprises of Merve Emre, an Associate Professor of English Literature at Oxford, Zimbabwean lawyer and writer Petina Gappah, translator and novelist Jeremy Tiang, and Viv Groskop, a writer, critic, broadcaster, and stand-up comedian, who will comprise the jury.

International Booker Prize

For those who are unfamiliar, the International Booker Prize is one of the most prestigious honours in translated literature, honouring both the author and the translator for their outstanding translation work. The six-book shortlist will be revealed on April 7, and the winner will be announced on May 26.