Tamil writer Perumal Murugans novel Fire Bird, translated into English by Janani Kannan, won the 2023 JCB Prize for Literature

The English translation of Perumal Murugan's novel "Fire Bird" by Janani Kannan, a Tamil writer, was declared the winner of the 2023 JCB Prize for Literature on Saturday in New Delhi. Penguin Random House India released the book. Manasi Subramaniam, a publisher and novelist, accepted the prize on behalf of Murugan and Kannan, who were not present at the award event.

"In 'Fire Bird, Murugan takes a universal story of lives that are tied to land and tells it with astonishing particularity," novelist Srinath Perur, who chairs the five-person JCB Prize committee, stated. The rhythms of Tamil and a whole manner of being in the universe are translated into English by Janani Kannan.

The novel was praised by jury member and journalist Swati Thiyagarajan as "a powerful evocative story of an ordinary life." According to Thiyagarajan, "it's an immersion into a world, a time, and a place that will enrich your understanding of a part of our country in a way that you will carry it with you long after you turn the last page for readers in English who are not from rural Tamil Nadu."

The JCB Group Chairman, Lord Bamford, made a virtual announcement about the award, and JCB India Limited CEO and Managing Director Deepak Shetty presented it in person. The author receives Rs 25 lakh from the JCB Literary Prize, while the translator receives an extra Rs 10 lakh.

In addition to several non-fiction volumes, Murugan is the author of twelve novels, six anthologies of poetry, and six collections of short tales. English translations of several of his books, including "Seasons of the Palm," "Current Show," and "One Part Woman," are available.