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April 10, 2006
The Indian in 'Indian Writing'
Nilanjana S Roy explores the Hutch Crossword prize, and who is eligible:
"[A]s the Hutch Crossword prize grows up, it will need to address the Kim problem.
The Kim problem is simple: is Kipling’s book an Indian novel? It’s set in India; the lama and Hurree Babu are uncompromisingly Indian characters, the language shifts from British English to Babu English (which Kipling often lampoons) to philosophical dialectic (which he doesn’t); and Kimball O’Hara is caught halfway between the East and West.. Kipling shouldn’t be defined as an Indian writer; but Kim might qualify as an “Indian” book. Given that the Hutch Crossword is there to honour the best of Indian writing, in English fiction and non-fiction and in translation from other Indian languages, what puts the “Indian” in “Indian writing”?"
Posted by Mary Anne Mohanraj at April 10, 2006 08:26 AM
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Posted by: Anonymous at April 10, 2006 08:26 AM
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