Jhumpa Lahiri Receives 2026 St. Louis Literary Award

Jhumpa Lahiri Receives 2026 St. Louis Literary Award

ST. LOUIS - Pulitzer-Prize winning author Jhumpa Lahiri accepted the 2026 St. Louis Literary Award from Saint Louis University on Wednesday, April 8., at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Lahiri, whose work focuses on identity, cultural dislocation, and the immigrant experience, told the crowd at The Sheldon that she was excited to arrive in St. Louis, a city she had not visited before. To prepare for her time in the city, she read "Seeing St. Louis," by her long-time friend Barringer Fifield. Lahiri delighted in the ways Fifield described ordinary corners of the city.

"He transmits a passion for place," she said. "That is magic of what good literature is all about."

Lahiri spoke Wednesday with award-winning columnist Aisha Sultan, and on Thursday at a Craft Talk with Maryse Jayasuriya, Ph.D., professor of English at Saint Louis University. She shared with audiences how writing helped her navigate the paradox of living as a second-generation immigrant.

Losing herself in a good book allowed her to find a place for herself in the world.

"All great literature has characters who question, 'where am I? Why don't I fit in?'"

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 non-fiction "The Clothing of Books" and "Translating Myself and Others."

She received the Pulitzer Prize in 2000 for "Interpreter of Maladies," her debut story collection which explores issues of love and identity among immigrants and cultural transplants. The novel "The Namesake" was named a New York Times Notable Book and Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist. A film version, directed by Mira Nair, was released in 2007.

Born in London, Lahiri moved to Rhode Island as a young child with her Bengali parents. She is a graduate of Barnard College and has a Ph.D. in Renaissance Studies from Boston University. She is the Millicent C. McIntosh Professor of English and Director of Creative Writing at Barnard College, Columbia University.

The St. Louis Literary Award is presented annually by Saint Louis University and has become one of the top literary prizes in the country. The award honors a writer who deepens our insight into the human condition and expands the scope of our compassion. Some of the most influential writers of the 20th and 21st centuries have come to Saint Louis University to accept the honor, including Margaret Atwood, Salmon Rushdie, Eudora Welty, John Updike, Saul Bellow, August Wilson, Stephen Sondheim, Zadie Smith and Tom Wolfe.

Center for Literary and Creative Arts

The Saint Louis University Center for Literary and Creative Arts fosters inclusive, interdisciplinary, and innovative programming where literature and creative expression thrive. Guided by Jesuit values, the Center amplifies diverse voices, cultivates transformative learning experiences, and connects students, faculty, and the broader community through public discourse, research, and partnerships. By championing the literary and creative arts across disciplines, the CLCA inspires critical dialogue, nurtures emerging artists and thinkers, and enriches the cultural life of St. Louis and beyond-preparing students with the communication, critical thinking, and cultural literacy skills essential for leadership in a complex world.

Saint Louis University

Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation's oldest and most prestigious Catholic research institutions. Rooted in Jesuit values and its pioneering history as the first university west of the Mississippi River, SLU offers more than 15,300 students a rigorous, transformative education that challenges and prepares them to make the world a better place. As a nationally recognized leader in research and innovation, SLU is an R1 research university, advancing groundbreaking, life-changing discoveries that promote the greater good.