South Asian Writers and the Nobel Prize

Abstract

By SYED AMANUDDIN Literary awards do not necessarily prove merit of writers or of national literatures. However, Nobel Prize is institution which provides a writer opportunity for worldwide acceptance and recognition. A concerned writer and critic suggested to me that Third World writers and critics should establish a prize exclusively for Third World authors. There may be some merit in this suggestion for encouraging and recognizing such writers. However, establishment of such award to be given in competition with Nobel Prize would only mean that we are adding to problem instead of suggesting solutions. Despite all objectivity involved in nomination and selection process of Nobel, one would think a jury of established international writers would further enhance significance of award. The Neustadt International Prize for Literature sponsored by World Literature Today has set certain standards worth emulating. As jurors change for each biennial award, it is possible to have a wider representation of writers of various national or regional literatures. The South Asian writers Kamala Markandaya, ShivK. Kumar, R. K. Narayan, and A. K. Ramanujan of India and Edwin Thumboo of Singapore have served as jurors for this prize; and Thumboo's candidate, Raja Rao of India, was named tenth Neustadt laureate in February of this year. Also, a nomination and selection process can be effective only when it is based on informed judgment, which is possible only when one has access to standard editions of works and authentic translations, critical studies, bibliographies, historical surveys, and biographies. In other words, Third World writers, translators, scholars, editors, and publishers need to involve themselves in activities which would sustain and promote Third World writing aggressively. This does not mean, however, that South Asian writing is totally inaccessible. It is a matter of serious concern that a number of outstanding writers from this region are not among Nobel Prize winners: Urdu poet-philosopher Mohammed Iqbal (18731938); epic writer and philosopher Aurobindo Ghose or Sri Aurobindo (1872-1940); political activist and social-moral thinker Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948), who wrote in both Gujarati and English; Umashankar Joshi (b. 1911), another major Gujarati writer and poet; Hindi writers Suryakant Tripathi Nirala (1899P-1961) and Sachidananda Vatsyayan Ajneya (b. 1911); Pakistani Urdu Faiz Ahmed Faiz (1911-84); Punjabi and novelist Amrita Pritam (b. 1919); and R. K. Narayan (b. 1906) and Zulfikar Ghose (b. 1935), who write in English. So far, Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941), recipient of 1913 award, is only South Asian writer to have been honored with Nobel Prize in Literature. Harald Hjarne, then-chairman of Nobel Committee of Swedish Academy, called Tagore an Anglo-Indian poet whose work Gitanjali belongs to literature, for author himself, who by education and practice is a in his native Indian tongue, has bestowed upon poems a new dress, alike perfect in form and personally original in inspiration. This has made them accessible to all England, America, and entire Western world for whom noble literature is of interest and moment.1 The Nobel Committee recognized Tagore's profoundly sensitive, fresh, and beautiful verse and consummate skill with which he made his poetic thought, expressed in his own English words, a part of literature of Tagore's contribution to Bengali, Indian, and world literature was erroneously (and patronizingly) viewed as a contribution to the literature of West. The Indian subcontinent was a part of British Empire then, and apparently a writer was considered significant only if he were a contributor to the literature of The end of World War II coincided with independence for subcontinent, and postindependence period has been remarkable for contributions writers have made to regional, national, and world literature. The subcontinent may be compared with continent of Europe for its variety of languages and literatures. Each significant language of region produced remarkable literary activity during period under review. Bengalis in India and Bangladesh have continued to express their artistic genius in post-Tagore era. Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Gujarati, Marathi, and Oriya writers have experimented with new forms and techniques and have made lasting contributions. Hindi language and literature has gained considerably from official support and patronage of Indian government. Urdu has enjoyed a similar status in Pakistan. South Indian literatures in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada have continued to assert their unique literary traditions along with experimentations in new forms and subject matter. One of most remarkable developments in literary scene of region is rapid growth of literatures in English. India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka have produced writers who have made significant contributions to regional and Commonwealth literatures in English. Malaysia and Singapore in Southeast Asia have experienced parallel developments in their literatures. Writers such as aforementioned and critic Edwin Thumboo of Singapore have given a new direction to belles lettres of this region. Several significant Sri Lankan authors such as Lakdasa Wikkramasinha write in Sinhala and English, whereas others such as Yasmine Gooneratne write primarily in English. Sim-