Pakistani writer Bilal Tanweer wins 2014 Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize

November 26, 2014

Pakistani writer, Bilal Tanweer has won the 2014 Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize for his novel “The Scatter Here Is Too Great”. The award carries a cash component of Rs. 2 lakh.
This year’s judges for Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize were authors Amit Chaudhuri, Aatish Taseer and Mridula Koshy (2009 winner of the Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize).
For 2014 Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize, six books were shortlisted. They are

A Bad Character by Deepti Kapoor .
The Scatter Here Is Too Great by Bilal Tanweer.
The Vanishing Act by Prawin Adhikari.
a cool, dark place by Supriya Dravid.
The Competent Authority by Shovon Chowdhury.
The Smoke Is Rising by Mahesh Rao.

All the six books including Tanweer’s have been published by Indian publishers.
About Bilal Tanweer

Bilal Tanweer was born and raised in Karachi. He is Lahore-based author.
He has published fiction, poetry and translation in various international journals. In 2011, he was selected for “Granta New Voice”.
His book “The Scatter Here Is Too Great” underlines the crucial importance of literature in larger cultural landscape. It balances the universality of existential torment with the often horrifying nitty-gritty realities of its location, Karachi.

About Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize
The Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize is an award named after journalist Shakti Bhatt, who passed away in 2007. It was set up in 2008 to encourage authors from the Indian sub-continent. 2014 was seventh year of this prize and the prize money was increased to Rs 2 lakhs with support from Priti Paul and the Apeejay Trust.
Other Pakistani writers who have won this prize: