Author Ruthvika Rao has been named the recipient of the 2026 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize for her novel, The Fertile Earth. The award, which includes a monetary prize of £10,000, recognizes exceptional adventure fiction published in paperback within the United Kingdom. The selection process involved a panel of librarians and industry professionals. Set against the backdrop of the Deshmukh family estate in Irumi, the narrative explores the complex relationship between Vijaya, the daughter of an aristocratic family, and Krishna, the son of a household servant. Their connection becomes increasingly perilous following a failed expedition to track a man-eating tiger in the local jungle. The prize is open to international authors writing in English.
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