The JCB Prize for Literature has unveiled its 2024 longlist, featuring ten novels. Five of these were originally written in English, while the other five are translations from Bengali (two), Marathi (two), and Malayalam (one). The shortlist, consisting of five books, will be announced on October 23, with the winner revealed on November 23.

The winner will receive a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh. If the winning novel is a translation, the translator will also be awarded Rs 10 lakh. Additionally, each of the shortlisted authors will receive Rs 1 lakh, with an extra Rs 50,000 going to the translator if the work is a translated one.

The selection process was led by a jury chaired by Jerry Pinto—an author, translator, and poet—and included Tridip Suhrud (scholar and translator), Deepthi Sasidharan (art historian and curator), Shaunak Sen (filmmaker and writer), and Aqui Thami (artist).

This year’s longlist was chosen from submissions spanning sixteen states and seven languages. Notably, translator Jayasree Kalathil has been longlisted for the third time, following Moustache (2020 winner) and Valli (2022 shortlist), while V Ramaswamy appears for the second time after The Nemesis (2023 shortlist). Four debut novels also made the list, including two translations.

Mita Kapur, the Prize’s director, commented, "The 2024 longlist offers a rich and diverse exploration of Indian fiction, presenting ten novels that vividly capture both the ordinary and extraordinary aspects of life in India. These works delve into a variety of themes and experiences, painting a nuanced picture of the country’s complex social fabric."

Below is the complete longlist, along with brief descriptions of each novel:

• Chronicle of an Hour and a Half, Saharu Nusaiba Kannanari, Context/Westland
• Hurda, Atharva Pandit, Bloomsbury India
• Of Mothers and Other Perishables, Radhika Oberoi, Simon and Schuster India
• Lorenzo Searches for the Meaning of Life, Upamanyu Chatterjee, Speaking Tiger Books
• The Distaste of the Earth, Kynpham Singh Nongkynrih, Penguin India
• Talashnama: The Quest, Ismail Darbesh, translated from the Bengali by V Ramaswamy, HarperCollins India
• Maria, Just Maria, Sandhya Ramesh, translated from the Malayalam by Jayasree Kalathil, HarperCollins India
• Sanatan, Sharankumar Limbale, translated from the Marathi by Paromita Sengupta, Penguin India
• Leaf, Water and Flow, Avadhoot Dongare, translated from the Marathi by Nadeem Khan, Ratna Books
• The One Legged, Sakyajit Bhattacharya, translated from the Bengali by Rituparna Mukherjee, Antonym Collections

Chronicle of an Hour and a Half, Saharu Nusaiba Kannanari

In the foothills of the Western Ghats, the village of Vaiga faces its worst storm in decades—unrelenting rain, fallen trees, a swollen river, and widespread power cuts. Yet, beneath the surface, a more dangerous storm is brewing. It starts as a mere rumor of an illicit affair, drawing Saud and his sons to Vaiga in search of Burhan. The rumor spirals out of control, fueled by frenzied WhatsApp messages, and soon, the village descends into chaos. Violence erupts, and a bloodthirsty mob takes to the streets, leaving Vaiga on the brink of destruction.

Hurda, Atharva Pandit

On Valentine’s Day in 2013, the village of Murwani in Maharashtra witnesses a chilling event—three sisters, Anisha, Sanchita, and Priyanka, vanish from school. Their disappearance sends shockwaves through the village, and rumors circulate that they were involved in something sinister. Six years later, a journalist from Mumbai returns to the village to investigate what happened on that fateful day. Hurda tells the story through the voices of those whose lives intersected with the sisters, offering a searing critique of modern-day India and its deep-rooted misogyny. Based on a true incident, it sheds light on the dark underbelly of society.

Of Mothers and Other Perishables, Radhika Oberoi

A dead woman’s voice, morbidly humorous, echoes from her storeroom, where she keeps her prized possessions—silk sarees, baby clothes, old photographs, vinyl records, and more. As she reminisces about her past and the disease that claimed her life, her storeroom becomes a portal into her memories as a young woman in Delhi during the 1970s and 80s—a time of romance, marriage, and motherhood.

The narrative oscillates between her reflections and the vibrant world of her daughter, The Wailer, who works in advertising. The daughter’s life takes a sharp turn when political protests break out in Delhi, affecting her work and relationships, especially with a Muslim art director drawn into the movement. As personal and political histories collide, this novel becomes a poignant exploration of family, loss, and the tumultuous realities of contemporary India.

Lorenzo Searches for the Meaning of Life, Upamanyu Chatterjee

In the summer of 1977, 19-year-old Lorenzo Senesi of Italy crashes his Vespa and spends a month bedridden, contemplating life’s biggest questions: where did he come from, where is he going, and what is the meaning of life? Upon recovery, he joins a physiotherapy course and a prayer group, eventually finding his way to a Benedictine monastery in Italy, where he stays for ten years. His journey then takes him to Bangladesh, where he lives a life of monastic discipline, prays, learns Bengali, and unexpectedly falls in love. Through this journey, Lorenzo finds peace in his service to God but grapples with the realization that it might not be enough.

The Distaste of the Earth, Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih

This novel explores the ancient world of Khasi kings, queens, warriors, and plunderers while focusing on the sorrows of a young man caught in their world. Set in a local bar called a "pata," where patrons represent a microcosm of society, the novel delves into human existence’s complexities, raising questions about power, justice, and humanity’s destructive nature. It paints a vivid picture of a world where love and revenge, greed and oppression, justice and strife collide, ultimately mirroring our own contemporary struggles.

Talashnama: The Quest, Ismail Darbesh (translated by V Ramaswamy)

In the Muslim-majority village of Sadnahati, West Bengal, Riziya, a strong-willed woman with a troubled past, elopes with her Hindu tutor, Suman Nath. Her true love, however, is Tahirul, the local Imam. On the day she leaves the village, she is accused of defacing the village mosque with anti-Islamic graffiti, shocking the community. A decade later, after Suman’s death, Riziya returns to Sadnahati to face a village seething with anger and disapproval.

Maria, Just Maria, Sandhya Mary (translated by Jayasree Kalathil)

Maria, a young Syrian Christian girl from Kerala, has stopped speaking after her grandfather’s death—not out of incapacity, but by choice. Now in a psychiatric hospital, she begins to recall her past: her bond with her grandfather, a dementia-stricken great-aunt, a philosophical dog, long-dead ancestors, and even conversations with Christ. Through Maria’s vivid recollections, the novel presents an exuberant tale of a woman searching for her place in the world.

Sanatan, Sharankumar Limbale (translated by Paromita Sengupta)

Sanatan tells the harrowing story of Bhimnak Mahar and the centuries of barbaric abuse and discrimination endured by his community at the hands of the upper castes. Spanning generations, the novel begins with Bhimnak in pre-Independence India and extends to his grandson. Through myths, religious texts, and historical references, Limbale reconstructs Dalit history while proposing a new, progressive social order, confronting readers with harsh truths about caste-based oppression and its long-lasting effects.

Leaf, Water and Flow, Avadhoot Dongare (translated by Nadeem Khan)

Set against the backdrop of Maoist politics, this novel explores the intersecting lives of individuals and power structures in India. From a Naxalite revolutionary and a police officer’s wife to an egret witnessing the death of a child, the novel brings together diverse voices to reflect on society’s complex dynamics. Leaf, Water, and Flow takes an introspective look at how individuals interact with, resist, and are shaped by the forces of power, language, and conflict.

The One-Legged, Sakyajit Bhattacharya (translated by Rituparna Mukherjee)

In a world where darkness lurks both inside and outside, Tunu, a young boy, lives in a haunted mansion where the past seeps into the present. As he witnesses strange occurrences and unearths family secrets, Tunu is slowly transformed by the weight of history and the trauma of loss. Through eerie and poetic storytelling, The One-Legged explores the themes of memory, inheritance, and the shadows that linger over our lives.