2023 JCB Prize for Literature: Three translated and two English-language novels make the shortlist

The shortlisted authors are Tejaswini Apte-Rahm, Manoranjan Byapari, Perumal Murugan, Vikramajit Ram, and Manoj Rupda.

Oct 21, 2023 - 16:30

2023 JCB Prize for Literature: Three translated and two English-language novels make the shortlist

The shortlist for the 2023 JCB Prize for Literature was announced on Friday. Authors Manoranjan Byapari and Perumal Murugan are on the shortlist for the third time. Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar, who was previously shortlisted for the Prize as an author, has been shortlisted this year for his debut book as a translator. Vikramajit Ram, Tejaswani Apte-Rahm and Hindi language writer Manoj Rupda have been shortlisted for the first time.

The winner will be announced on November 17 and the winning author will be awarded a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh and the translator (if applicable), Rs 10 lakh.

Here are the shortlisted titles and excerpts from reviews featured on Scroll.

The Nemesis, Manoranjan Byapari, translated from the Bengali by V Ramaswamy

“As seen on the front cover, Jibon has just picked up the proverbial axe and the flames are burning high. He is a man possessed. But how far will he go and more importantly, for how long will a caste-sick society let him run amok? I will await the answers in the third and final book in the trilogy.

If Byapari is angry, then equally angry is translator V Ramaswamy. He’s a brahmin but he understands a Dalit person’s plight. He retains some of the Bengali lines in his...