Shashi Tharoor Raises "Strawberry Toast" With Booker Prize Winner

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday shared a photo with novelist Geetanjali Shree, who won this year's International Booker Prize for Ret Samadhi (A Tomb of Sand). Mr Tharoor and Ms Shree were in London to participate in Jaipur Literature Festival. 

“Toasting birthday girl novelist Geetanjali Shree with a strawberry in London last night as Jaipur Literature Festival comes to a celebratory end,” tweeted the Thiruvananthapuram MP. The 15th edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival was held at the British Library in London from June 10 to June 12.

A Tomb of Sand, which also became the first Indian language book to win the International Booker Prize, is set in northern India and revolves around an 80-year-old woman. As per the judges, the tale is a “joyous cacophony” and an “irresistible novel”. Ret Samadhi was published in 2018.

A "completely overwhelmed" Geetanjali Shree, during her acceptance speech, had said, “I never dreamt of the Booker, I never thought I could. What a huge recognition, I'm amazed, delighted, honoured and humbled."

She added, "There is a melancholy satisfaction in the award going to it. 'Ret Samadhi/Tomb of Sand' is an elegy for the world we inhabit, lasting energy that retains hope in the face of impending doom.”

Talking about the fact that a book written in Hindi has made the cut for the first time, Geetanjali Shree said, "But behind me and this book lies a rich and flourishing literary tradition in Hindi, and in other South Asian languages. World literature will be richer for knowing some of the finest writers in these languages. The vocabulary of life will increase from such an interaction."

Geetanjali Shree also won the prize money worth GBP 50,000 (roughly Rs 4.7 crore). She has shared it with Daisy Rockwell, the English translator of the book.