Arundhati Roy has been named the recipient of the PEN Pinter Prize 2024, an annual award established by English PEN in memory of Nobel laureate playwright Harold Pinter. The recognition comes two weeks after she was charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for allegedly making provocative speeches in 2010. The award ceremony, co-hosted by the British Library, is scheduled for October 10, where Roy will deliver an address.
The PEN Pinter Prize recognises writers of exceptional literary merit residing in the UK, the Republic of Ireland, or the Commonwealth. The prize aims to celebrate individuals who, in the spirit of Harold Pinter’s Nobel Prize speech, courageously examine and define the truths of our societies. This year’s jury, comprising English PEN chair Ruth Borthwick, actor Khalid Abdalla, and writer Roger Robinson, selected Roy for the award.
Previous recipients include esteemed writers such as Michael Rosen, Margaret Atwood, Malorie Blackman, Salman Rushdie, Tom Stoppard, and Carol Ann Duffy. We are thrilled to announce that Arundhati Roy is the winner of the PEN Pinter Prize 2024. She will receive the award in a ceremony co-hosted by the @britishlibrary on 10 October.
#PENPinterPrize https://t.co/bqyQsmLOkn Ruth Borthwick congratulated Roy, highlighting her ability to eloquently address issues of injustice: "Our congratulations to Arundhati Roy on winning the PEN Pinter Prize 2024. Roy tells urgent stories of injustice with wit and beauty.
Her intern.
