Geetanjali Shree’s Tomb of Sand wins International Booker Prize

A Delhi-based writer Geetanjali Shree has become the first Indian writer to win the International Booker Prize.

Her novel titled Ret Samadhi, translated into English as Tomb of Sand by Daisy Rockwell, won the International Booker Prize. It was the first Hindi-language book to be shortlisted for the £50,000 prize.

“Congratulations to Geetanjali Shree and @shreedaisy who have been longlisted with Tomb of Sand: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/tomb-of-sand #2022InternationalBooker #TombofSand #GeetanjaliShree #DaisyRockwell@TiltedAxisPress,” The Booker Prizes said in a tweet.

It is a story set in the shadow of the partition of India, which follows an elderly woman after the death of her husband.

“Yessss! Translator Daisy Rockwell and author Geetanjali Shree win the International Booker for ‘Tomb of Sand’ (‘Ret Samadhi’ in the original). A first win for a Hindi novel, an Indian novel, a south Asian novel. Congratulations! @TheBookerPrizes,” Bengali writer Arunava Sinha tweeted.

Geetanjali Shree is the author of several short stories and novels.

Her 2000 novel Mai was shortlisted for the Crossword Book Award in 2001.