Wednesday, April 03, 2013

U.R. Ananthamurthy - Man Booker International Prize 2013 finalist

U.R. Ananthamurthy, the Man Booker International Prize 2013 finalist is the only one from India in the list of ten. The other nine being, Peter Stamm from Switzerland, Vladimir Sorokin from Russia, Josip Novakovich from Canada, Marilynne Robinson and Lydia Davis from USA, Aharon Appelfeld from Israel, Intizar Husain from Pakistan, Marie NDiaye from France and Yan Lianke from China. Ananthamurthy turned eighty on 21 December. He was born in the village of Melige in Mysore in the year 1932. This Kannada literateur is an eminent representative of the ‘New Movement’ Kannada literature. After having studied English literature in the University of Mysore, he obtained his doctorate from the University of Birmingham in England. His thesis was entitled ‘Politics and Fiction in the 1930s’. This ‘Gandhian socialist’ has five novels, one play, eight short-story collections, three poetry anthologies and eight of essays to his credit. His works have been translated into several Indian as well as European languages. His novel ‘Bhartipura’ was shortlisted for the Hindu Literary Prize in 2011 and for DSC Prize for South Asian Literature in 2012. He exhibits courage in challenging the cultural norms and a humanistic touch in his writings.