Antara Mukherjee longlisted for 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize

Antara Mukherjee has been longlisted for the 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize for her story ‘Bandel Local’, placing her among the 25 writers selected from 7,806 entries submitted across the Commonwealth. Organised by the Commonwealth Foundation, the Commonwealth Short Story Prize is an annual literary award that celebrates the best unpublished short fiction by writers from Commonwealth countries. The prize is designed to discover and support emerging writers, bringing attention to new literary voices and stories from different parts of the Commonwealth that might otherwise remain outside the international literary spotlight. It is open to writers from the Commonwealth’s regions, with entries judged across five geographical regions: Africa, Asia, Canada and Europe, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. The prize is particularly significant for emerging writers because it offers international recognition and a platform for their work. Each year, a large number of entries are considered before a much smaller group reaches the longlist and shortlist. In 2026, the competition attracted 7,806 entries, with fewer than 200 stories reaching the longlist and just 25 writers ultimately shortlisted. Mukherjee’s selection therefore places ‘Bandel Local’ among the most highly regarded stories in this year’s competition and marks a notable international recognition for her writing. Her achievement also adds to the growing visibility of Indian writers within one of the Commonwealth’s prominent literary prizes.