British-Indian author Salman Rushdie was awarded the prestigious German Peace Prize on Sunday at the closing ceremony of the Frankfurt Book Fair. The prize is considered one of the most important awards in Germany and comes with a €25,000 ($27,300) payment.
Rushdie was praised for his “indomitable spirit” and his “affirmation of life” in the face of adversity. He has faced death threats and was stabbed multiple times in 2022 at a public reading in the US.
In his acceptance speech, Rushdie pledged to continue defending the freedom of speech. He said, “Words are the winner.”
Rushdie is the author of more than 14 novels, including the Booker Prize-winning “Midnight’s Children” and the controversial “The Satanic Verses.” He is known for his magical realism and his exploration of themes such as identity, exile, and colonialism.
The German Peace Prize has been awarded to a number of notable figures, including Vaclav Havel, Margaret Atwood, and Orhan Pamuk. Rushdie is the first author of Indian origin to receive the award.
