Geetanjali Shree

Going by the 16th edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) held from January 19 to 23 this year, the “greatest literary show on earth” seems to have settled comfortably in its new home – Hotel Clarks Amer. It was beaming with energy, conversation and spectacle as booklovers from across the world gathered to hear literary heavyweights and enthusiastic debutants. Even those who were missing the good old times at Diggi Palace last year seem to have grudgingly accepted that the change of venue is not as bad as they…

This is your first translation of a Tamil work into English. What was the process like? It was joyful because, for over two decades, my touch with Tamil, after moving from Chennai, was minimal. I speak little Tamil — to friends or family — and watch Tamil movies sporadically, and read Tamil works infrequently today. Writing the book was a happy start though the process was quite demanding. I began by simultaneously reading and translating the first three chapters of Pasitha Manidam. Then, when I felt a momentum build in…

In a historic moment, Geetanjali Shree became the first Indian author to get her work shortlisted for the International Booker Prize. The Hindi novel, Ret Samadhi has been translated into English as Tomb of Sand by Daisy Rockwell. Shree is no stranger to literary stardom. Her previous novels such as Mai and Khali Jagah have been translated into different languages as well. In an interview with News18, the 64-year-old talks about the importance of languages in a person’s consciousness and why she finds it abhorring when…