Amitav Ghosh receives Korea’s ‘Nobel in Literature’ - the 14th Pak Kyongni Prize

By A Representative 

Renowned Indian author Amitav Ghosh has been named the winner of the 14th Pak Kyongni Prize, Korea’s most prestigious international literary award, often described as the country’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize in Literature.

The jury unanimously selected Ghosh after a year-long review process that began with 113 nominees, praising his role in expanding the frontiers of postcolonial and ecological literature and for giving voice to marginalized perspectives, including those of nature itself.

Established in 2011 by the Toji Cultural Foundation in memory of celebrated Korean novelist Pak Kyong-ni, the prize honors “the truest writer of our time” and carries the country’s largest literary cash award. Past recipients include Marilynne Robinson, Amos Oz, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, and A.S. Byatt.

In his acceptance remarks, Ghosh said he was “thrilled and honored” to receive the award, describing it as a profound privilege to join the legacy of past laureates. He noted that the recognition comes at a time when South Korea has emerged as a global cultural powerhouse, from K-pop to cinema and literature, adding that he was deeply moved that his work, often concerned with forgotten histories and non-human voices, had resonated there.

Born in Kolkata and educated in Delhi, Oxford, and Alexandria, Ghosh is the author of several acclaimed works including The Shadow Lines, The Glass Palace, The Hungry Tide, the Ibis Trilogy, The Great Derangement, and Smoke and Ashes. His next novel, Ghost-Eye, is set to release in December. His books have been translated into more than 30 languages and he has previously received the Jnanpith Award (2019) and the Erasmus Prize (2024).

The 2025 Pak Kyongni Prize ceremony, hosted by the Toji Cultural Foundation and Wonju City and sponsored by Milim Syscon, will be held on October 23 at Hotel Inter-Burgo in Wonju, designated a UNESCO City of Literature.