Geetanjali Shree winning the International Booker Prize for her book Tomb Of Sand this year will be a torchbearer for future writers.

The International Booker Prize 2022 was declared on May 27, 2022.

This is for the first time that a book in any Indian language had won the coveted award.

Originally published as Ret Samadhi, Daisy Rockwell translated into English the book.

Geetanjali Shree wrote Ret Samadhi in 2018, which was translated into English in 2021.

“I never dreamed of the Booker. What a huge recognition. I am amazed, delighted, honoured and humbled,” she exclaimed after the announcement.

This award is important for Indian authors, not just Hindi.

Because of the lack of excellent translations and publishers interested in them, several illustrious works of different Indian writers have failed to reach the canon of world-class literature.

Booker for the Tomb Of Sand will start a new era and I am sure more publishing houses will show their interest in Indian literature.

The Jnanpith Award is the most prestigious award for literature presented in India by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to an author for their “outstanding contribution towards literature.”

I am confident many of these authors are Booker-worthy as well.

Geetanjali Shree was born in Uttar Pradesh in 1957 and has three novels and several short stories under her name.

Some books by her include Tiriohi, Humara Sehar Us Baras, Khaali Jagah, and Anugoonj.

Each book has been translated into different languages, especially English.

The other languages into which Shree’s books have been translated so far include French, German, Serbian and Korean.

ALSO READ | Books: What To Read And What Not To...