The most-awaited longlist of the JCB Prize for Literature 2019 is finally out. This will be the second edition of the richest award for Indian writing, which awards the prize money of Rs 25 lakh for the winner. This year, an additional Rs 10 lakh will be awarded to the translator in case the winning book is a translation.
One of the most significant features that is making this literature award awaited for the Indian writers is the number of debutantes and first novels on the longlist this year.
Dominated by debutantes, the list has as many as four new writers, including Roshan Ali, Amrita Mahale, Mukta Sathe, and Madhuri Vijay. The list also includes Paul Zacharia and Sharanya Manivannan for their first English novels, though these are not their first books. The list also includes Manoranjan Byapari, whose novel is his first work of fiction to be translated into English.
Here is what you need to know about the work of these debutantes:
1. Ib’s Endless Search for Satisfaction by Roshan Ali: The story is based on the life of Ib, a young man who lives with his schizophrenic father and 'nice' mother. From his slimy, unmiraculous birth to the tragic death of a loved one, the story binds together Ib’s journey.
2. Milk Teeth by Amrita Mahale: An interesting story revolving around the lives of childhood buddies Ira Kamat and Kartik Kini, who are now grown up and working in the city of Mumbai.
3. A Patchwork Family by Mukta Sathe: The story tells how two people, a young Janaki and elderly Ajoba come in contact and share a relationship that goes beyond blood or marriage ties.
4. The Far Field by Madhuri Vijay: Another debutante writer on the longlist, Madhuri Vijay has written her first novel The Far Field. The story is about Shalini, a privileged and restless young woman from Bangalore, who sets out for a remote Himalayan village after her mother’s death. The story further deals with Indian politics, class prejudice, and sexuality through the lens of an outsider.
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