Hyderabad: Deodar-BLF Prize 2023 in collaboration with Bangalore Literature Festival and The Bombay Literary Magazine launched a literary award called “The Deodar Prize" to encourage and showcase the talent of emerging writers and authors.
According to the team, the prize is an effort to uncover new literary voices in India. “This year, the Deodar-BLF 2023 prize is dedicated to short stories," it mentioned.
“A literary award called “The Deodar Prize” has been launched. It is an effort to recognise new themes and voices in literary fiction in India. The jury looks excellent,” writes Meru Gokhale, founder of (editorially) in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Deodar.in invites original, unpublished stories from writers on any theme. Its aim is to foster new voices and themes. The author of the winning entry will be announced at the festival and will be awarded a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh and will receive an unconditional offer to have the story featured in The Bombay Literary Magazine’s December edition. The two runners up entries will be awarded the Promising Writer award with the authors receiving feedback on their entries from a panel of editors and a cash prize of Rs 10,000 each.
The deodar cedar is indigenous to the Himalayas where its local name Devdar translates from the original Sanskrit as “timber of the gods.” The prize is a tribute to the tree that grounds the soil, gives its seed in the deodar cedar cone and builds home in the mountain, it mentions.
The eminent jury comprises award-winning independent publisher G.S. Ajitha, adjunct lecturer at NYU-Tisch Rohan Narula (also co-written three features with filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj), and author of Quarterlife Devika Rege. She currently teaches creative writing at Azim Premji University.
The entry is eligible for Indian citizens (and residents) above 18 years. Applicants will be expected to submit a short story (maximum 2,500 words). The last date of submission is 20 October 2023. Check the deodarprize portal for submission of entries.
