‘Tomb of Sand’ translated from ‘Ret Samadhi’, written by Geetanjali Shree and translated by Daisy Rockwell etched history today as it became the first ever Hindi language novel to win the International Booker prize. Earlier on Thursday, at a prestigious ceremony in London, Geetanjali Shree claimed that she was “completely overwhelmed” with the news which she called was a “bolt from the blue”.
She became the first ever Hindi novelist to win the prestigious International Booker Prize. On Thursday, she accepted the prize and the monetary reward of £50,000 with her translator Daisy Rockwell.
For the unversed, ‘Tomb of Sand’ translated originally from ‘ret samadhi’ follows an 80-year-old protagonist ‘Ma’, who deicides to travel to Pakistan to finally resolve the traumas she experienced due to the partition, and untie all the knots of unmet closures.
The Booker Prizes called the book “engaging, funny and utterly original, at the same time as being an urgent and timely protest against the destructive impact of borders and boundaries – whether between religions, countries or genders.”
At the International Booker Prizes 2022, a total of 135 books were taken into consideration.
The Facts of the Matter
Fiction is a lie through which writers across the world tell their truths, and to celebrate the best of such writers and their works, every year, Booker Prize and International Booker Prize is held. On Friday, New Delhi based Geetanjali Shree etched history after being awarded the International Booker Prize for her Hindi novel ‘Tomb of Sand’. The novel is the first in any Indian language, to win the prestigious award.
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Geetanjali Shree and Translator Wins £50,000 Prize
At a ceremony held in London, Geetanjali and her translator Daisy Rockwell accepted the International Booker Prize and the £50,000 prize. The writer claimed that she was completely “overwhelmed” with the news that came as a “bolt from the blue”.
“I never dreamt of the Booker, I never thought I could. What a huge recognition, I’m amazed, delighted, honoured and humbled,” she said, in her acceptance speech. In the same speech, she also spoke about the rich legacy of Hindi literature.
Booker Prize Winner Geetanjali on Legacy of Hindi Literature
“..behind me and this book lies a rich and flourishing literary tradition in Hindi, and in other South Asian languages. World literature will be the richer for knowing some of the finest writers in these languages. The vocabulary of life will increase from such an interaction,” she said.
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What is ‘Tomb of Sand’ All About?
Tomb of Sand, originally ‘Ret Samadhi’ follows the 80-year-old protagonist, who confronts her trauma after her husband’s passing. She decides to travel to Pakistan and untie the knots of unmet closures that surfaced while she went through Partition. In the process, she gets a new lease to life and discovers the meaning of being a mother, daughter and a feminist.
Previous work of Geetanjali Shree
A student of Jawahar Lal Nehru University, Geetanjali was born and raised in Uttar Pradesh. Although ‘Tomb of Sand’ got her first Booker, this is not the first novel of her that has been translated in multiple languages. Her novel Khali Jagah has been translated into English, French and German. She is also the author of ‘Mai’ which was shortlisted for the prestigious Crossword Book Award.
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