The JCB Prize for Literature, India's most prestigious literary award, has been officially discontinued after seven years, leaving the literary community in shock.

This award, which offered ₹25 lakh annually for the best work of fiction by an Indian author, has no plans for future editions.

Established in 2018, the JCB Prize was renowned for promoting Indian fiction across languages, with five of its seven winners being translations.

The last recipient of the award was Upamanyu Chatterjee in 2024, recognized for his novel 'Lorenzo Searches for the Meaning of Life.'

Each shortlisted author received ₹1 lakh, with translators of winning works earning significant prizes, including up to ₹10 lakh for translated novels.

Notable winners included 'Jasmine Days' by Benyamin, translated from Malayalam, and 'Delhi: A Soliloquy' by M Mukundan, also in Malayalam.

Mita Kapur, the Literary Director of the JCB Prize, confirmed the shutdown on June 21, 2025, but provided no further comments on the reasons behind the decision.

The discontinuation follows the revocation of the JCB Literature Foundation’s licence, which was announced via a notice on March 12, indicating a transition to a 'Private Limited' company.

The closure of the JCB Prize signifies the end of a significant era in the promotion of Indian literature, drawing tributes from across the literary field.