Women writers dominate 2018 DSC Literature Prize entries

New Delhi: The DSC Prize has emerged as a top recognition in South Asia's literary landscape and this year more than half of the eligible entries from publishers worldwide include novels written by women.

The novels submitted for the DSC Prize 2018 are at present being read and evaluated by a five-member international jury panel which would first announce a longlist of 12 to 15 books in New Delhi in early October. 

Thereafter the shortlist of five or six books would be announced in London in November and the eventual winner of the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2018 would be announced at a special award ceremony to be held in February 2019 in a South Asian country. 

According to the presenters of the USD 25,000 DSC Prize for South Asian Literature, this year more submissions have come in for novels authored by women writers as compared to their male counterparts. 

The prize which specifically focuses on South Asian fiction writing received a total of 88 eligible entries which include 45 novels written by women, they said, adding this is the highest number of entries by women writers that the prize has received since its inception in 2010.
 
Another interesting fact is: of the 45 entries by women authors, 15 have been written by debut novelists. 

The DSC Prize, which is now in its eighth year, is administered by the South Asian Literature Prize & Events Trust and is specifically focused on showcasing and rewarding the best talent writing about the region and presenting it to a larger global audience. 

The submissions this year came in from 40 publishers and across 56 imprints from across the globe.