The prestigious PEN Pinter Prize of 2024 has been being bestowed upon the Indian author Arundhati Roy. Roy will receive the award in a ceremony co-hosted by the British Library on October 10. Moreover, the venue will witness a special speech delivered by the Indian novelist. However, this glorious news has arrived, weeks after Indian officials authorized the writer to face legal action for remarks she made about Kashmir 14 years ago. The writer’s comments at an event in 2010 that the disputed territory of Kashmir had never been an “integral” part of India. This harsh comment led to Delhi’s top official authorizing her prosecution under India’s strict anti-terror legislation on June 14. Roy’s bold approach to politics is the very reason she was able to bag this prestigious annual award.

The social sphere is indebted to Roy for her prodigious literary output. The God of Small Things, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness and Walking with the Comrades have gained wide recognition. The God of Small Things by Roy was a monumental work of fiction. The novels’ exploration of unconventional themes such as post-colonial feminism earned it the Booker Prize for Fiction in 1997. Additionality, it became the best-selling book by a non-expatriate Indian author. Environmental degradation and human right violation are themes which are seldom taken up by writers.

Arundhati Roy

Roy with her thought-provoking narratives, has rightfully earned this international accolade. Roy casts an ‘unflinching, unswerving’ gaze upon the world and shows a “fierce intellectual determination … to define the real truth of our lives and our societies”. Those were the profound words articulated by Pinter himself in his Nobel Prize Literature speech. Despite, Roy’s novel geographically revolving around India, her exploration of ideas reverberates internationally. Roy knows how to transcend physical barriers and acknowledge shared experiences. A team of judges that included writer Roger Robinson, actor Khalid Abdalla, and chair of English PEN Ruth Borthwick elected Roy as this year’s winner in April.

As harrowing events unfold with political and social unrest. Such as the residents of Palestine who are currently the victims of brutality. The world requires unapologetic writers and novelists, who can shed light on such atrocities. The popularity of Roy’s first novel, published in 1997, continues to evolve. It is a testament to the novelist’s timeless and classic work of literature. The pen is mightier than the sword is a phrase which best encapsulates Roy’s personal vision of writing.

Roy joyfully commented, “I am thrilled to accept the PEN Pinter prize.” “I wish Harold Pinter could write about the virtually unimaginable turn the world is taking today. Some of us must do our best to step into his shoes since he isn’t here”.

About PEN Pinter Prize

PEN Pinter Prize was set up in 2009 by English PEN to commemorate the celebrated playwright, Harold Pinter. Pinter is a Nobel laureate whose works expound upon man’s search for meaning. Each year, many talented writers with exceptional literary merit are given the prize. The recipient must be a resident in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland or the Commonwealth. Actor Khalid Abdalla, writer Roger Robinson, and English PEN head Ruth Borthwick served on this year’s jury for the award. Meanwhile, Michael Rosen, Margaret Atwood, Salman Rushdie, Tom Stoppard, Carol Ann Duffy, and Malorie Blackman are among the previous recipients of the honor.