ARCHIVED MEDIA RELEASE
PA/26/2004 17 November 2004
Celebrated Australian contemporary authors on India tour
Three celebrated Australian authors are visiting India on a literary tour to introduce their award-winning titles to Indian audiences.
Authors Peter Goldsworthy, Kate Grenville and Tim Winton are in India under the Asialink Literature Touring Program supported by the Australian Government. The authors' tour, from 15-26 November, will take them to Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai, and will include public-speaking events and interaction with Indian writers and scholars.
"The visit by the authors is part of a drive to raise Australia's cultural profile in India and responds to increased Indian interest in Australian literature and in our fine contemporary writers," said Australian High Commissioner to India, HE Penny Wensley AO. The High Commissioner added that all three were eminent authors whose work has been acclaimed in Australia and internationally.
Peter Goldsworthy's award-winning novels have been translated into European and Asian languages. He is also an accomplished librettist and poet, and is winner of the Commonwealth Poetry Prize.
Kate Grenville is a highly-regarded novelist, who has won a number of major prizes for her work.
Tim Winton is the author of thirteen books, which include novels, short stories, non-fiction and books for children. He has received Australia's most prestigious literary award, the Miles Franklin Award three times.
Penguin India will publish the following works during the authors' tour: "Three Dog Night" by Peter Goldsworthy (Winner 2003 FAW Christina Stead Award for Fiction); "The Idea of Perfection" by Kate Grenville (Winner 2001 Orange Prize for Fiction); and "Cloudstreet" by Tim Winton (Winner 1992 Miles Franklin Literary Award).
As part of the authors' tour, in Delhi, an Evening of Australian Writers and Wine is being held at the Oberoi Hotel on 17 November. Asialink, the Oberoi Group, Penguin India, Austrade, the Australian-India Council (AIC) and the Australia Council for the Arts are sponsoring the event. Wine connoisseur Jim Murphy, from Market Cellars in Canberra, will also introduce a range of vintage Australian wines to the audience. This will be followed by readings from the three authors.
Contact for media: Mr Shekhar Nambiar, Senior Adviser, Public Affairs, on 51494351/ 9810154167.