Book Brahma–Bookworm English Fiction of the Year 2026 shortlist announced

The award celebrates literary excellence while highlighting the richness and diversity of India's regional languages through world-class translations.

Published Jul 30, 2026 | 2:55 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 30, 2026 | 2:55 PM

Shortlist for Book Brahma–Bookworm English Fiction of the Year 2026. (Supplied)

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Synopsis: The 2026 shortlist brings together five exceptional novels from Kannada, Malayalam and Tamil, representing some of India’s most celebrated contemporary writers. The selected works reflect the evolving landscape of Indian literature, where stories rooted in local cultures resonate with readers across linguistic and geographical boundaries.

The Book Brahma Foundation, in association with Bookworm, has announced the shortlist for the Book Brahma–Bookworm English Fiction of the Year 2026, recognizing outstanding works of South Indian fiction translated into English.

The award celebrates literary excellence while highlighting the richness and diversity of India’s regional languages through world-class translations.

The South First is the digital media partner of the event.

Also Read: Bengaluru to host 3rd edition of Book Brahma Literature Festival from 14 August

Five shortlisted titles

The 2026 shortlist brings together five exceptional novels from Kannada, Malayalam and Tamil, representing some of India’s most celebrated contemporary writers. The selected works reflect the evolving landscape of Indian literature, where stories rooted in local cultures resonate with readers across linguistic and geographical boundaries.

The shortlisted titles are:

Sakina’s Kiss by Vivek Shanbhag, translated from Kannada by Srinath Perur
The Second Book of Prophets by Benyamin, translated from Malayalam by Ministhy S
Fire Bird by Perumal Murugan, translated from Tamil by Janani Kannan
The Dark Hours of the Night by Salma, translated from Tamil by G. J. V. Prasad
A Woman Burnt by Imayam, translated from Tamil by G. J. V. Prasad

The shortlist reflects the remarkable diversity of South Indian storytelling, exploring themes ranging from identity, memory and social change to gender, faith, family and resilience. It also acknowledges the indispensable role of translators, whose work enables regional literary masterpieces to reach national and international audiences.

Book Brahma–Bookworm Fiction of the Year Award

The Book Brahma–Bookworm Fiction of the Year Award has been instituted to encourage excellence in South Indian writing and translation while creating greater visibility for literature originating in Indian languages.

The initiative aligns with Book Brahma Foundation’s mission of promoting Indian language literature globally and fostering meaningful literary conversations across cultures.

The winner will be announced during the Book Brahma Literature Festival 2026, to be held in Bengaluru from August 21–23, 2026, where leading authors, translators, publishers and readers from India and around the world will come together to celebrate literature and ideas.

Those wishing to attend may register at www.bookbrahmalitfest.com.