She is also a playwright and novelist whose books have been published in eight countries.

Indian-Origin Translator Padma Viswanathan Named on 2026 International Booker Prize Longlist

Padma Viswanathan, a Canadian writer of Indian origin, has been named on the 2026 International Booker Prize longlist as the English translator of a Portuguese novel by Brazilian author Ana Paula Maia. Judges have described the novel as an unsettling portrayal of power and corruption, placing it among the 13 longlisted titles.

The annual prize carries a total award of 50,000 pounds, shared equally between the author and translator. Last year, the honour went to Kannada writer-activist Banu Mushtaq and translator Deepa Bhasthi for the short story collection “Heart Lamp”.

“On Earth As It Is Beneath is a stark and unsettling portrayal of power, violence, destruction and institutional corruption that stays with readers long after they finish the book,” the judging panel said about the novel translated by US-based Viswanathan.

Viswanathan, 58, is a Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville. She is also a playwright and novelist whose books have been published in eight countries.

Natasha Brown, chair of the 2026 judging panel, said the quality and range of translated fiction published in the UK this year has been exceptional. Judges reviewed 128 submissions over eight months.

The shortlist of six books will be announced on March 31, with each shortlisted title receiving 5,000 pounds, shared between author and translator. The winner will be revealed on May 19 at Tate Modern in London.

The International Booker Prize has been awarded annually since 2016 to a single work of fiction, either a novel or a short story collection, originally written in another language, translated into English, and published in the UK and/or Ireland.

Source: The Tribune