Padma Viswanathan on the International Booker Prize longlist

 

 

 

P. P. Cherian

Little Rock (Texas): Indian-origin Canadian writer and playwright Padma Viswanathan has been named on the 2026 International Booker Prize longlist. The award is for her English translation of Brazilian author Ana Paula Maya's Portuguese novel 'On Earth As It Is Beneath'.

Padma Viswanathan: 58-year-old Padma is currently a professor of creative writing at the University of Arkansas.

The prize money is 50,000 pounds (approximately Rs. 52 lakh). This will be shared equally between the author and the translator.

The jury assessed that this novel, which deals with power and corruption, is one that will captivate the minds of readers.

The list includes 13 works translated from different languages. This includes works from different parts of the world, including German, Spanish, and Persian.

The shortlist of six books for the award will be announced on March 31. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in London on May 19. The award was won in 2025 by Kannada writer Bhanu Mushtaq.