GUWAHATI, Jan 11 � Jahnavi Barua�s novel Rebirth, has made it to the Short-list of the 2011 Man Asian Literary Prize, an official announcement stated.
The Bangalore-based writer, with her roots in Assam, is among seven authors whose books have been shortlisted for the prestigious prize. The list includes Jamil Ahmed, Rahul Bhattacharya, Amitav Ghosh, Kyung-Sook Shin, Yan Lianke, and Banana Yoshimoto, apart from Barua.
Barua�s short fiction has been published in various well known publications and has earned critical acclaim. Her next book Next Door, a collection of short stories, was published by Penguin India in 2008.
Making the announcement, judge Razia Iqbal said,��The judges were greatly impressed by the imaginative power of the stories now being written about rapidly changing life in worlds as diverse as the arid borderlands of Pakistan, the crowded cityscape of modern Seoul, and the opium factories of nineteenth century Canton. This power and diversity made it imperative for us to expand the 2011 Man Asian Literary Prize shortlist beyond the usual five books.�
David Parker, chair of the board of directors, said, �Bringing Asian literature to the widest possible readership is a key aim of the Man Asian Literary Prize and so it is fitting that we are holding a joint celebration of the shortlist in both London and Hong Kong�.
The winner of the 2011 Man Asian Literary Prize will be announced on March 15, 2012 in Hong Kong. The prize, sponsored by the Man Group plc, awards $ 30,000 to the author and an additional $5,000 to the translator (if any).
