Anjali Joseph wins Desmond Elliott Prize
24th June 2011
Anjali Joseph has won the 2011 Desmond Elliott Prize for New Fiction with her debut novel, Saraswati Park.
Joseph collects a GBP 10,000 prize for the critically-acclaimed work, which tells the story of a couple in Mumbai whose lives are changed when their nephew comes to live with them.
Edward Stourton, chair of the judging panel, said the novel is 'absorbing and faultlessly written', with the judges unanimous in who they thought should win the prize.
'The characters are beautifully rendered, and their lives, with their ambitions and regrets, stay with you long after you have closed the last page. Anjali Joseph's skills as a novelist are humbling,' he added.
Founded in 2008 in honour of publisher and literary agent Desmond Elliott, the award has fast become one of the most prestigious prizes for debut authors in the UK, with previous winners including Nikita Lalwani, Edward Hogan and Ali Shaw.