Novelist and short story writer Geetanjali Shree has won the 2022 International Booker Prize for her novel Tomb of Sand, translated by Daisy Rockwell. Tomb of Sand has set a precedent for being the first book originally written in any Indian language to win the International Booker Prize for Translated Fiction. The novel takes place in northern India and follows the journey of an elderly woman who serendipitously gains a new lease on life. Tomb of Sand balances engagement and comedy with deeper questions of boundaries, borders, and their limitations and constraints. Shree, both a recipient and nominee of many awards and fellowships, currently resides in New Delhi, India. On receiving her award, Shree said: “This is not just about me, the individual. I represent a language and culture and this recognition brings into larger purview the entire world of Hindi literature in particular and Indian literature as a whole.”

Shree’s works include her novels Mai, Hamara Shahar Us Baras, and The Empty Space, as well as a collection of academic publications.