Nandini Das, originally from India and now residing in the UK, has been nominated for her compelling work, “Courting India: England, Mughal India and the Origins of Empire.” Kris Manjapra, of Caribbean descent with a mix of African and Indian heritage, based in the United States, has earned his place on the shortlist for his thought-provoking book, “Black Ghost of Empire: The Long Death of Slavery and the Failure of Emancipation.”
Indian-origin authors have made their mark in the literary world, with Nandini Das and Kris Manjapra earning spots on the prestigious shortlist for the 2023 British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding. This esteemed international non-fiction prize, valued at GBP 25,000, recently unveiled its lineup of six outstanding writers on September 12 in London, as reported by PTI.
Nandini Das, originally from India and now residing in the UK, has been nominated for her compelling work, “Courting India: England, Mughal India and the Origins of Empire.” Kris Manjapra, of Caribbean descent with a mix of African and Indian heritage, based in the United States, has earned his place on the shortlist for his thought-provoking book, “Black Ghost of Empire: The Long Death of Slavery and the Failure of Emancipation.”
Now in its 11th year, the British Academy Book Prize is open to authors of all nationalities and geographical locations, provided their nominated work is available in English and published in the UK. This esteemed accolade honors research-based non-fiction works that significantly contribute to the public’s comprehension of global cultures and their intricate interconnections.
The winner of the GBP 25,000 prize will be announced at an awards ceremony scheduled for October 31 in London. Each of the shortlisted writers will be recognized with a GBP 1,000 prize at the event, celebrating their remarkable contributions to the field of global cultural understanding through their insightful works of non-fiction
Professor Charles Tripp, a Fellow of the British Academy and the chair of the 2023 jury, expressed his admiration for the exceptional quality of writing in this year’s shortlist. He praised the authors for their remarkable ability to uncover new discoveries and offer fresh perspectives on long-held beliefs.
Nandini Das, who is in her 40s, serves as a Professor of Early Modern Literature and Culture in the English faculty at the University of Oxford. Raised in India and educated at Jadavpur University in Kolkata, she later pursued further studies in England. Her shortlisted work has been commended by the judges as a groundbreaking debut, weaving together the story of England’s initial diplomatic mission to India in the early 1600s through biography and historical narrative. The judges noted the book’s beautiful prose and its ability to alternate between microscopic details and broader panoramas. They emphasized how Das’s shifting perspective offers profound insights into global connections and evolving power dynamics during this pivotal period of world history.
Kris Manjapra, also in his 40s, spent his formative years in Canada and currently holds the position of Stearns Trustee Professor of History and Global Studies at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. His shortlisted work provides a meticulous and unsettling account of the slow demise of slavery and the subsequent failure of emancipation. The judges’ comments lauded the book for its restrained yet passionate approach, which explores the false dawn of emancipation coinciding with the formal abolition of slavery in the 19th century. Manjapra’s work places this against the backdrop of the transatlantic slave trade and dispels the myths surrounding its conclusion. It brings to life the experiences and memories of the enslaved while identifying the forces that gave rise to new systems of servitude in the aftermath of slavery. Moreover, the book forcefully argues against the denial of these haunting legacies within our contemporary social order.
The winner of the GBP 25,000 prize will be announced at an awards ceremony scheduled for October 31 in London. Each of the shortlisted writers will be recognized with a GBP 1,000 prize at the event, celebrating their remarkable contributions to the field of global cultural understanding through their insightful works of non-fiction.
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