BLF 2020
HEARTLAND STORIES encourages the narration of individual as well as collective stories so as to unlock those hidden human emotions that are intrinsic to all of us and which bind our spirits together. This togetherness is the powerful force that can be evoked to transform the lone individual into the powerful collective. This is where words written would find voice, silence would find expression and darkness would be illuminated - so as to touch and kindle the soul of every individual, every collective, every society.
Heartland Stories are those stories that stimulate the intellect and provoke detailed discussion and candid dialogue.
Inspired by the glorious traditions and rich history of Central India - stories from the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Sanchi (close to the Heliodorus Pillar and the Udaygiri Caves) and Bhimbhedka, the enticing and mysterious jungles of Central India, the upsurge of traditional and contemporary arts: epics writers like Kalidas; literary giants like Makhanlal Chaturvedi, Hari Shankar Parsai and Subhadra Kumari Chauhan; artists like SH Raza, MF Husain and NS Bendre; musicians like Tansen, Ustad Allauddin Khan and Kumar Gandharv - and the common desire to foster an environment of culture, the Society for Culture and Environment has planned an annual event: The Bhopal Literature and Art Festival.
Bhopal is the city of Raja Bhoja, the Gond Rani Kamlapati and the Nawab Begums of Bhopal. It has seen the rise of Emperor Ashoka and Chandragupta Vikramaditya. Dotted with gardens, its historic palaces and their floral interiors provide rare insights into the aesthetic and cultural finesse of those times. The unfolding of history is reflected in its diverse architecture, its beautiful lakes and its serene multicultural ethos.
On the terraced and other nuanced spaces of Bharat Bhavan, the notable art-hub created by Charles Correa, this Festival would help to satisfy the groundswell of desire -- for quality literature and art - in the enlightened citizens of Bhopal and its environs. Partnered by Sahitya Akademi, the national literature organization the Society for Culture and Environment has carefully crafted this three-day extravaganza of written and painted words.
SAHITYA AKADEMI, India's National Academy of letters, is the central institution for literary dialogue, publication and promotion and the only institution that undertakes literary activities in 24 Indian languages, including English. Over the 64 years of its dynamic existence, it has ceaselessly endeavored to promote healthy reading habits, to keep alive the intimate dialogue among the various linguistic and literary zones and groups through seminars, lectures, symposia, discussions, readings and performances.
SUSHILA DEVI AWARD 2019 for the BEST BOOK OF FICTION written by a WOMAN AUTHOR published in 2018
instituted by
Shri Ratanlal Foundation
The Winner Is!
SUSHILA DEVI AWARD for the BEST BOOK of FICTION written by a WOMAN AUTHOR published in 2018
The Ratanlal Foundation and the organizing Committee of the Bhopal Literature & Art Festival are happy to announce the Sushila Devi Award for the Best Book of Fiction Written by a Woman author published in 2018. This prize has been instituted by the Shri Ratanlal Foundation and the winner is Shubhangi Swarup's Latitudes of Longing.
The competitive shortlist comprised the following books: Missing by Sumana Roy, The Undoing Dance by Srividya Natarajan, The Queen of Jasmine Country by Sharanya Manivannam, Bombay Brides by Esther David and Latitudes of Longing by Shubhangi Swarup.
The Jury chaired by Prof Malashri Lal which included Dr Sukrita Paul Kumar and Prof GJV Prasad concluded that:
'Latitudes of Longing' is a novel crafted with sophistication and finesse. Set primarily in the Andaman Islands the story delves into the surreal realms of clairvoyance and the uncanny links between nature and human life. Although the narrative moves into other landscapes such as Myanmar and Nepal, the novelist’s firm hold on environmental issues coheres into a thoughtful yet gripping story of courage and consistency. Through vividly sketched characters, the values of urban rationality and an alternative civilization aligned to Nature are presented with remarkable acumen.’ This Award carries a cash prize of 2 lakh INR. It will be presented to the author at the inaugural ceremony of the Bhopal Literature and Art Festival at Bharat Bhawan Bhopal on the 10th January, 2020.
Rules:
1. An entry must be a full-length work of fiction of at least 40,000 words. While short story anthologies are not eligible, collections of short stories linked by a theme may be considered at the discretion of the jury.
2. All entries should have been published in the period 1.1.2018 to 31.12.2018. The Jury would have the latitude to determine any issues on this subject
3. Entries can be submitted only through publishers, who should send four hard copies of the entry to the Prize Secretariat: Shri Sanjeev Gupta (Coordinator Book Award), Shri Ratanlal Foundation, C-15, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi-110016; Phone: +91-9315145504, who will courier the books to the jury members
4. In case of multiple entries made for the same book by more than one publisher, the first received entry would be considered
5. The submitted book can be written by any woman author of Indian nationality or of Indian origin irrespective of where she is residing
6. The author must be living at the time of the book’s submission
7. The book must be an original work in English
8. The book must not be self-published
9. Books published solely in e-book form are not entitled to be entered
10. All entries in the form of hard copies need to be received by the Secretariat before 15th August 2019. A publisher can send maximum 3 entries
11. Each award application should carry a short synopsis of the plot and what the book is about
12. There will be one prize of 2,00,000 INR
13. The Schedule: Last date for submissions: 15th August, 2018
14. Shortlist (Max 5 per jury member, not in order of preference) to be announced before 15th December
15. Winner to be announced before the inaugural of the Bhopal Literature Festival on the 10th January, 2020.
Shortlist:
The 2020 Shortlist of Books/Authors for the Sushila Devi Award, but not in any order of preference:
| 1 | The Queen of Jasmine Country | Sharanya Manivannan | Harper Collins |
| 2 | Missing | Sumana Roy | Rupa |
| 3 | The Undoing Dance | Srividya Natarajan | Juggernaut |
| 4 | Latitudes of Longing | Shubhangi Swarup | Harper Collins |
| 5 | Bombay Brides | Esther David | Harper Collins |
Jury:
• Chairperson: Dr. Malashri Lal
• Member: Dr. Sukrita Paul
• Member: Dr. GJV Prasad