Literary Giants: Arefa Tehsin and Others Vie for the Asian Prize

Arefa Tehsin's 'Witch in the Peepul Tree' is among the super-shortlist for the Asian Prize for Fiction, alongside Smriti Ravindra's 'Woman Who Climbed Trees' and V V Ganeshananthan's 'Brotherless Night'. The process involved global book clubs, and the winner will be decided by mid-December.

'Witch in the Peepul Tree,' a novel by Indian author Arefa Tehsin, has been shortlisted for the prestigious Asian Prize for Fiction, joining works by Nepali-Indian author Smriti Ravindra and Sri Lankan-American writer V V Ganeshananthan.

The competition underscores the diversity of voices in global literature, honed through a rigorous seven-month selection process involving book clubs from Africa, Asia, and Europe. This collaboration narrowed a longlist of ten books to a shortlist of six, from which the trio emerged.

The final decision will be influenced by book club selections, public polling, and assessments by the Asian Committee, which incorporates both permanent and annual rotating members. The winner will be announced by mid-December, recognizing a new pinnacle in South Asian narrative fiction.

(With inputs from agencies.)