Know 6 Booker Prize-Winning Authors In India

The prestigious Booker Prize is awarded every year for the best fiction work in English to writers of any nationality since 1969.

The award consists of £50,000 along with a trophy. The first Booker Prize was given to P.H. Newby for his novel “Something to Answer For” in 1969.

Many Indian-origin authors’ work has been booklisted for the Booker Prize; however, only six Indian authors won the award. In this story, let’s have a look at the Booker prize-winning authors from India.

The first Indian to win the Booker Prize was VS Naipaul for his book “In a Free State” in 1971. The novel is a collection of 3 stories exploring themes of identity, hope, and aspirations with a post-colonial mindset.

Next, in 1997, Arundhati Roy won the Booker Prize for her contemporary fiction “The God of Small Things” which tells the story of two siblings growing up in India, exploring themes of caste, gender, class, and childhood trauma.

In 2006, Kiran Desai won the Booker Prize for her book “The Inheritance of Loss”. The novel tells the story of a retired judge living in Darjeeling and Kalimpong during the time of political tensions between India and Nepal.

Next, in 2008, author Aravind Adiga won the Booker Prize for “The White Tiger”. The novel tells the story of a small village entrepreneur who struggles to succeed in a corrupt society using his wit and humour.

Becoming the first Indian author to win the Booker Prize for her book “Tomb of Sand” in 2022, author Geetanjali Shree first wrote the book in Hindi which was later translated into English by Daisy Rockwell.

The novel explores themes like boundaries, gender, and the effect of history on individuals.

Besides, in 1981, Indian-born Salman Rushdie won the Booker Prize for his novel “Midnight's Children” which is based on magical realism illustrating India’s post-colonial history.