Mumbai-based writer wins FON South Asia Short Story Award

New Delhi, Sep 13 (PTI) Writer Meghna Pant will behonoured with Kumaon Literary Festival’s FON (Fellows ofNature) South Asia Short Story Award in Nature writing inOctober for her short story "People of the Sun." The annual travelling literary festival gives this awardin partnership with the French Institute of India and WildlifeTrust of India to "revive nature writing and bring thespotlight on critical environment issues like climate changethrough this form of literature." "Nature writing was once considered to be the rock androll of literature. In the last few decades, it has shown asteady decline. Like all extinctions, nature writing’s gradualdisappearance represents a profound loss. FON is our littleeffort to revive this art," Sumant Batra, founder of KumaonLiterary Festival, said. The award was founded to build a community of writers whocan become instrumental in reviving interest in nature writingand at the same time build awareness among public in order tofacilitate the conservation of our surroundings Pant’s story was shortlisted from over 165 entriesreceived from across South Asia. The Mumbai-based writer hasalso penned a novel, "One & A Half Wife" and a collection ofshort stories called, "Happy Birthday!". She will be felicitated with the award as well as a cashprize of Rs 1 lakh here next month. The winner was selected by a jury comprising of writersJerry Pinto, Sidhartha Gigoo, Mridula Koshy and Shinie Antonyfrom India, James Champion from the UK, Samrat Upadhyay fromUSA and Afia Aslam from Pakistan. "Writing about the close relationship between humankindand nature plays an important role in creating interest andbuilding respect for it amongst book lovers and others. Thereis a pressing need to restore this literary art," Asha Batra,Founder of FON Award said. The organizers also announced the first and second runnersup – Shabir Ahmad Mir from Jammu and Kashmir and VrindaBaliga from Hyderabad respectively. Sujata Parashar, Director of FON, said that an anthologyof the top stories from the received entries will also bepublished. PTI TRS BKTRS