Mission & Values
South Asia Speaks was created in 2020 to support and strengthen the literary arts in South Asia by offering emerging writers one on one mentoring for a full year. Writers working on a major project such as a novel or translation are eligible to apply.
The mentors are a group of internationally renowned authors who are volunteering their time to the program. Their mission is two-fold. One, to support the literary arts in South Asia and help it grow. And two, to address inequalities in publishing. By amplifying voices that have been traditionally excluded from the literary arts, mentors provide opportunities to those who have had none.
South Asia Speaks was created by author Sonia Faleiro who is also the program director. The program is entirely self-funded. Donations are welcome and will be used wisely.
Fellows (2021 | 2022) have gone on to win fully funded places to the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Logan Nonfiction Program and the American Literary Translators Association Emerging Translator Program.
They have acquired representation at The Wylie Agency, Writers' Side and Jacaranda Agency and secured publication deals with Bloomsbury, Juggernaut and Harper Collins.