In a surprising development, the JCB Prize for Literature—India’s most prestigious literary award has been discontinued after seven successful editions. The JCB Literature Foundation confirmed that the 2024 edition would be its last, with no future editions planned, marking the end of an important platform that celebrated Indian fiction in English and translation.

Key Highlights:

• The JCB Prize for Literature, launched in 2018, has been officially discontinued, as confirmed by the JCB Literature Foundation, according to an NDTV report .
• The decision comes after seven editions, with the 2024 prize—won by Upamanyu Chatterjee for Lorenzo Searches for the Meaning of Life—being its last.
• The prize was known for awarding Rs. 25 lakh to the winner and Rs. 10 lakh to the translator (if applicable), making it the richest literary prize in India.
• The foundation cited that the prize had fulfilled its original goal of elevating Indian literary voices and was now ready to step back from awarding future prizes.
• This announcement comes amid growing criticism of JCB’s global political associations, including its equipment being used in controversial demolitions—though the foundation did not directly link its decision to this backlash.