Founded in 2021, South Asia Speaks is a literary mentorship for early career writers living in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal and the Maldives. Fellows work closely with their mentors to write books, translate works, and author investigative reporting.
In its second batch of writing fellows, 38 aspiring authors this year will work on projects as diverse as a book about the Thar Desert, a translation of B.Jeyamohan's Tamil novel "Mudharkanal", a novel set during the Namantar Adolan, and a series of articles about the food, culture and lifestyle of Rajasthan.
Eight of this year’s fellows are from Pakistan.
Three fellows are working on novels. Rana Saadullah Khan is working on a novel titled “Pathan Girl” with Madhuri Vijay. From Lahore, Dua Abbas Rizvi is working on a memoir, “Brown Girl and Pale Poet”, with Fatima Bhutto. Miriam Tareen will also work with Fatima Bhutto to write a children’s novel.
Working with mentor Taran Khan, fellow Maliha Khan will work on a book about Karachi’s food culture, while Tooba Syed and Zoya Rehman will work together on a study titled, “Feminist Visions of Resistance and Justice in Pakistan.”
Duaa Amir, an undergraduate student of medicine, will work also on an exploration of feminism with mentor Sonia Faleiro.
Ayesha Latif will work on a translation of Piro Preman's “Aik Sau Sath Kafian” with Arunava Sinha.
Applications for the next cycle open on September 1, 2022.