Tibor Jones South Asia Prize

The Tibor Jones South Asia Prize was an initiative led by literary agent Martin Pick and Tibor Jones & Associates, a London-based literary agency that represents the likes of Wilbur Smith and Rem Koolhaas. I was the founding Executive Producer of the prize, which ran for two years (2012 & 2013) and received 150 manuscripts, led to eight publishing deals, and one Booker Prize nomination.

The prize was supported by the University of East Anglia (whose alumni include Kazuo Ishiguro and Ian McEwan), the Charles Pick Fellowship (CPF) and Foyles Bookstore. The mandate of the prize was to encourage emerging, unrepresented writers of South Asian origin.

The prize was distinct in that it awarded unfinished manuscripts rather than completed books, in an attempt to encourage and support writers to complete their work. The prize included Rs. 100,000 in cash, literary representation by Tibor Jones, and the Charles Pick Fellowship at UEA, which includes a cash award of £10,000 and six months board on campus at UEA in Norwich, UK to enable completion of the manuscript.

My partner Laura Byspalko and I managed the prize from its inception, blueprinting the structure, undertaking jury selection, securing partnerships and sponsorships including situating the prize ceremony within the Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival.