14th Park Kyungni Literary Award Winner
Amitav Ghosh
Globally renowned author Amitav Ghosh (69) expressed at the Park Kyungni Literary Award winner's press conference, held on the 22nd at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, "In the last century, Western writers were at the center of literature, but now the landscape of world literature is changing. I believe author Han Kang, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature, is one example of this shift."
Amitav Ghosh, an Indian author and the winner of the 14th Park Kyungni Literary Award, is giving a greeting at a press conference held on the afternoon of the 22nd at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News
Ghosh stated, "The Korean Wave is having a tremendous impact in India as well," adding, "It is truly remarkable that the culture of an Asian country, not a Western one, is exerting such influence." As an Indian-born American who writes in English, Ghosh pointed out, "For the past 100 years, writers who wrote in European languages, especially English, have played a dominant role in world literature. Indian writers have remarkable talent, but they have not received the same recognition as Western authors." He continued, "Fortunately, the situation is changing. As seen with Han Kang winning the Nobel Prize in Literature, the landscape is shifting, and Indian writers are also making their presence known to the public."
Ghosh has published works such as the novel "The Glass Palace," which deals with the modern histories of India, Myanmar, and Malaysia, and the non-fiction "The Great Derangement," which addresses the climate crisis. In 2008, he was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize (now the Booker Prize) with his novel "Sea of Poppies." Ghosh, who has consistently addressed real-world issues in his works, emphasized that to overcome the climate crisis, we must listen to the voices of non-human beings, and that literature has a crucial role to play in this process.
Ghosh said, "As a writer, I believe it is my task to recover the voices of non-human beings-not only animals, but also all forms of life, including plants." He added, "This idea is also present in Han Kang's novel 'The Vegetarian.' Writers like us must serve as agents to convey the voices of non-human beings." "The Vegetarian" is a novel about a woman who rejects eating meat and aspires to become a plant herself.
Ghosh expressed a relatively optimistic view regarding the changes in the literary creative environment brought about by generative artificial intelligence (AI). He said, "AI is a very interesting tool and can be usefully employed to handle tedious tasks. However, I do not believe that AI can replace the work of a writer."
He further explained, "AI mimics and replicates the human brain, but humans do not think solely with their brains. We think using our bodies, the food we eat, and everything else, so I am not worried that AI will replace human thought."
The Park Kyungni Literary Award was established to honor the literary spirit of author Park Kyungni (1926-2008), who left behind works such as the epic novel "Toji." It is awarded to writers who have made a significant impact on world literature, and the prize money is 100 million won. Ghosh said, "I wanted to read 'Toji,' but unfortunately, I could not find an English translation and was only able to read some of her short stories. I found it fascinating that Park Kyungni dealt with the theme of division and used regional dialects in her works."
This is Ghosh's second visit to Korea, following his participation in the Seoul International Cultural Forum in 2017. He will attend the award ceremony held on the 23rd of this month at Hotel Inter-Burgo Wonju, and will meet Korean readers at the "2025 Dialogue with World Writers" event, which will take place on the 28th at the Kyobo Building in Gwanghwamun, Seoul.
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