JCB Prize for Literature discontinued? Concerns rise over India’s richest literary award

Mumbai: The JCB Prize for Literature, India’s richest and most prestigious literary award, appears to have been discontinued.

The prize amount used to be Rs 25 lakh for the JCB Prize for Literature, which was established in 2018.

The 2023 prize was conferred on eminent English writer Upamanyu Chatterjee on November 23 last year. However, entries have not opened this March — sparking concerns among authors, literary agents, and publishers.

There is no official confirmation about the award’s discontinuation or the reasons behind it. However, several authors expressed concern over the development in posts on X.

“The JCB Prize for Literature is closed, right? Is there a ban on talking about this?” said Tanuj Solanki, Founder Editor at The Bombay Literary Magazine.

The Himalayan Writing Retreat, India’s unique writing getaway, posted: “Is the JCB Prize for Literature shutting down? There’s been no official confirmation yet, but reports and rumours suggest that one of India’s biggest literary awards may be winding up.”