Kathmandu: Darjeeling-based Nepali writer Chuden Kabimo has won the 2081 B.S. Madan Puraskar for his novel Urmaal, the Madan Puraskar Guthi announced on Friday. The Jagadamba Shree award was conferred on Prem Dev Giri for his contribution to collecting and preserving folk songs.
Urmaal, published by FinePrint, tells the stories of women tea-garden workers whose voices have long gone unheard. Kabimo, who previously earned acclaim for his debut novel Fatsung on the Gorkhaland Movement, said at the book’s launch earlier this year that he wrote Urmaal to highlight workers’ lives often excluded from narratives about tea.
The novel was selected from 299 submissions and had made the shortlist of seven works, including Chhalbato (Ramesh Bhusal), Darjyu Sanlaap (Kumari Lama), Panchatatwako Palam (Manprasad Subba), Bahurupi (Shreyaj Subedi), Bhikshu, Byapar ra Bidroha (Sudheer Sharma), and Hiunko Geet (Tirtha Gurung).
Established in 1955, the Madan Puraskar is Nepal’s most prestigious literary award. The Guthi said the date for the award distribution ceremony will be announced later.