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Jhumpa Lahiri highlights immigrant identity at St. Louis Literary Award event
Lahiri was born in London to Bengali parents and was in St. Louis, Missouri, to receive the award.
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Jeffin T. Kaleekal - Mon, 13, Apr 2026
- 04:47 EDT
- 35
Jhumpa Lahiri, the 2026 St. Louis Literary Award recipient, speaks with Aisha Sultan, left, during An Evening with Jhumpa Lahiri at the Sheldon Concert Hall on April 8, 2026. / Photo by Sarah Conroy.
Pulitzer Prize-winning Indian American author Jhumpa Lahiri highlighted how writing helped her navigate the paradox of living as a second-generation immigrant, in a conversation with award-winning columnist Aisha Sultan on April 8.
Lahiri, who was in St. Louis, Missouri, to receive the 2026 St. Louis Literary Award from Saint Louis University at the Sheldon Concert Hall, talked about her work, which focuses on identity, cultural dislocation and the immigrant experience.
She noted that losing herself in a good book allowed her to find a place for herself in the world. She said, “All great literature has characters who question, ‘Where am I? Why don’t I fit in?’”
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Lahiri is the author of the novels “The Namesake,” “The Lowland” and “In Altre Parole,” among others. She also wrote the short story collections “Interpreter of Maladies” and “Unaccustomed Earth,” and she is the author of poetry and the nonfiction works “The Clothing of Books” and “Translating Myself and Others.”
Jhumpa Lahiri received the Pulitzer Prize in 2000 for her debut short story collection, “Interpreter of Maladies,” which explores themes of love, identity and belonging among Indian immigrants and cultural transplants. Her novel “The Namesake” was named a New York Times Notable Book and a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize; a film adaptation directed by Mira Nair was released in 2007.
Born in London to Bengali parents, Lahiri moved to Rhode Island as a child. She is a graduate of Barnard College and holds a Ph.D. in Renaissance studies from Boston University. She currently serves as the Millicent C. McIntosh Professor of English and director of creative writing at Barnard College, Columbia University.
Lahiri was announced as the winner of the 2026 St. Louis Literary Award in April 2025.
Announcing the award, Edward Ibur, executive director of the St. Louis Literary Award, said, “Lahiri’s essays, translated works and fiction reveal a writer who adeptly explores identity, cultural dislocation and the immigrant experience.”
He continued, “Lahiri also knows how to flat-out tell a great story that keeps the reader turning the pages and leaves an indelible impression long after the story ends.”
The St. Louis Literary Award, presented annually by Saint Louis University, is one of the most prestigious literary prizes in the United States. The award honors writers whose work deepens our understanding of the human condition and expands the scope of our compassion.
Over the years, many of the most influential voices of the 20th and 21st centuries have received the honor, including Margaret Atwood, Salman Rushdie and Tom Wolfe.
Discover more at New India Abroad.
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