Courtesy of UWA Publishing Uday Prakash.Uday Prakash is an award-winning poet and writer who has published more than 20 books in Hindi. His most recent novel “The Walls of Delhi,†originally written in Hindi, was a finalist for this year’s DSC Prize for South Asian Literature. His writings have been translated into several languages including Urdu, English, German and Japanese.
A version of Mr. Prakash’s novel “The Girl with the Golden Parasol†geared towards American readers will be released by Yale University Press this summer, making him among the few Hindi writers to be ublished by an American publisher. The book highlights the deep-rooted caste prejudices in modern-day India through the lens of a love story. Mr. Prakash spoke to India Ink during the Jaipur Literature Festival, last month.
How do you deal with critics
No author should deal with critics. Don’t worry about them. They try to stunt your growth.
What are the occupational hazards of being a writer
This profession doesn’t pay you enough.
What is your everyday writing ritual
I can write when I am alone. I do most of my writing in my village of Sitapur in Madhya Pradesh.
Why should we read your latest book, “The Walls of Delhiâ€
The overarching theme of the book is corruption and systemic failure. T! he novel is set in Delhi, and it tells you how difficult it is to make a living in Delhi through sheer hard work and honesty.
Why does the Jaipur Literature Festival matter to you
It is a lottery for me that my work has been shortlisted for the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature. It means a lot to me when I see people like Binayak Sen and Mahasweta Devi. This is a liberal platform. It gives dignity to an author.
(The interview, which was translated from Hindi, has been condensed and lightly edited.)
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