Commonwealth award 8212; Rushdie8217;s arrival hangs in suspense

NEW DELHI, APRIL 6: Celebrated India born author Salman Rushdie's arrival here to receive the prestigious Commonwealth Regional Award was ...

NEW DELHI, APRIL 6: Celebrated India born author Salman Rushdie8217;s arrival here to receive the prestigious Commonwealth Regional Award was still in suspense with the writer not yet confirming his visit.

A galaxy of noted writers including Rushdie, Canadian Shauna Singh Baldwin, South African J M Coatzee and Delhiite Raj Kamal Jha would be among the recipients of the prestigious Commonwealth Regional Prizes to be given at a solemn function on April 14 here.

quot;While some of the prize winning authors have confirmed their arrival, there was no confirmation from Rushdie,quot; the chairman of the organising committee Pavan K Varma, the author-diplomat, told newsmen here.

quot;Rushdie has a visa. He can come here and he has been invited. If he comes he will be provided with adequate security,quot; Varma, who is also the Joint Secretary Africa in the Ministry of External Affairs, said.

India is hosting the gala prize distribution event for the first time since the prize was instituted in 1987. The overall Commonwealth Writers Prize for the Best Book and the Best First Book 2000 will be selected from among the regional winners by a panel headed by noted writer Shashi Deshpande.

Other recipients of the regional awards include Lily Bret Australia, Funso Aiyejina Nigeria, Jeffrey Moore Canada and Kapka Kassabova New Zealand, Varma said.

External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh will give away the prizes while Nayantara Sehgal, the first Indian to bag the Commonwealth Prize, would be the guest of honour.

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Rushdie has been selected for the regional award for his novel The Ground Beneath Her Feet8217; under the category of the Best Book8217; along with other masterly works of the likes of South African J M Coatzee8217;s Disgrace8217; and Canadian author Shauna Singh Baldwin8217;s What the Body Remembers8217;.

The controversial author8217;s Midnight Children8217; was adjudged the Booker of Bookers8217; in 1993.

Indian Express8217; staffer Raj Kamal Jha8217;s novel The Blue Bedspread8217; has been selected for the regional prize under the category of the Best First Book and would be competing for the overall best among the works of Nigerian Funso Aiyejina, Canadian Jeffrey Moore and of Kapka Kassabova of New Zealand.