Pune-based author R Raj Rao's latest novel 'Mahmud and Ayaz' has been nominated for 'The Rainbow Awards for Literature and Journalism' in the fiction category. 'A House of Rain and Snow' by Srijato and 'Cockatoo' by Yashraj Goswami are the other two nominees. The winner will be announced on December 7 at the Rainbow Lit Fest - Queer & Inclusive, Gulmohar Park Club, Delhi.
Speaking about his nomination, Rao told The Free Press Journal, "Literary Awards have usually eluded the queer community all over the world. Rarely does an Alan Hollinghurst win the Booker Prize. This is what makes the Rainbow Awards especially significant. They are restricted to writing by LGBTQIA+ writers and our allies. This would encourage more and more writers to write on LGBTQIA+ themes, publishers to publish, and readers to read such work." "Ultimately, this is what can lead to a change of laws, a change of mindsets among the conservative middle class, the largest segment of literate society, and help us win many unfought battles," he added.
Into its second year, the purpose of this award is to recognise the work done by queer and cis-het writers who are creating and building narratives around LGBTQIA+ lives. "It is about building a genre and encouraging more people to come forth to write, as much as it is about telling the publishing and media world that this 'genre' and 'our' lives deserve attention, that every story makes a difference to social constructs and perceptions, that each of these narratives add to the community's sense of belonging. It is therefore, also about representation, reflections of the self, identity and reference points," reads the description on the official website of Rainbow Awards.
"The awards, as part of its objectives, aim to identify and reward exemplary affirmative work that brings to life authenticity, realities, stories of love, trials, tribulations, vulnerabilities and strength. It is about recording such stories and that of history being made or retold and revisited through this process," it added.
