New Delhi, Jul 22 (PTI) Indian author Ashwin Sanghi will receive the inaugural JSW Prize in Literature, the Drukyul’s Literature and Arts Festival of Bhutan announced on Wednesday.
Conceived in 2025 to commemorate the 70th birth anniversary of Bhutan’s fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the initiative aims to celebrate “the power of creativity, culture, and ideas in enriching the shared human experience”.
The “Chanakya’s Chant” author will received the award at the 15th edition of the festival, also known as Bhutan Echoes, that will be held in Thimphu from August 1 to 3 under the theme “The Art of Being Human”.
“I am profoundly honoured to receive the inaugural JSW Prize in Literature from Her Majesty the Queen Mother Gyalum Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk,
someone I deeply admire. My life’s work rests on one belief: that popular fiction can be intellectually rich and culturally rooted without sacrificing the joy of story.
“To have that conviction recognised in Bhutan, a nation that has long held a place in my heart and has boldly made happiness a national mission, feels extraordinarily fitting,” Sanghi said in a statement.
The writer is known for bringing together history, mythology, culture and contemporary thought into his works. Some of his most popular works include “The Rozabal Line”, “The Krishna Key”, “The Sialkot Saga”, and “The Vault of Vishnu”.
“Through his remarkable body of work, Sanghi brings together history, mythology, culture and contemporary thought, making complex ideas accessible to readers around the world. His ability to bridge the ancient and the modern, and scholarship with compelling storytelling, makes him a fitting first recipient of a Prize dedicated to celebrating the enduring power and significance of literature,” Gyalum Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk, festival founder, said. Organisers also noted that the initiative has the potential to expand its scope over time, “eventually honouring exceptional individuals worldwide for lifetime achievements or extraordinary bodies of work”.
This year’s festival will see conversations on artificial intelligence, climate, education, heritage, literature, and the human experience with noted writers, scholars, and historians, including Ila Arun, Michael Brand, Kuenga Lhendup, Arun Kapur, Ugyen Tenzin, Chador Wangmo, Gitanjali Surendran, Thierry Mathou, Uday Kulkarni, and Tashi Gyalmo. PTI MAH MG MG
