Delhi-based author Geethanjali Shree and American translator Daisy Rockwell won the International Booker Prize for their novel ‘Tomb of Sand’.
Originally written in Hindi, ‘Tomb of Sand’ is the first book in any Indian language to win this award.
“We are delighted to announce that the winner of the #2024InternationalBooker Prize is ‘Tomb of Sand’ by Geetanjali Shree, translated by @shreedaisy and published by @tiltedaxispress,” The Booker Prizes said in a Tweet.
We are delighted to announce that the winner of the #2022InternationalBooker Prize is ‘Tomb of Sand’ by Geetanjali Shree, translated from Hindi to English by @shreedaisy and published by @tiltedaxispress@Terribleman @JeremyTiang @mervatim @VascoDaGappah @VivGroskop pic.twitter.com/TqUTew0Aem
— The Booker Prizes (@TheBookerPrizes) May 26, 2022
Geethanjali Shree’s book, originally published as ‘Ret Samadhi’, was described by the judges as “loud and irresistible”.
This was the first Hindi-language book shortlisted for the £50,000 prize. This prize money will be split between Rockwell and Geethanjali.
Tomb of Sand narrates the story of an 80-year-old woman who is depressed after the death of her husband. Eventually, she overcomes her depression and decides to visit Pakistan to finally confront the past that she left behind at the time of partition.
Geethanjali Shree is the author of three novels and several story collections with her work translated into English, German, French, Serbian, and Korean.