This recognition honours a work of non-fiction that brings an important and deeply human episode of recent South Asian history to readers with sincerity, seriousness, and emotional involvement. Hijack: And Its Repercussions is not merely an account of a ship caught in a conflict zone. It is a record of uncertainty, diplomacy, fear, survival, and the difficult choices that arise when ordinary people become trapped in circumstances created by war.
The book takes readers back to August 1998, when Sri Lanka was in the midst of a long and violent civil war involving the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. During this tense period, the ship Princess Kash, carrying a mostly Indian crew and commanded by Indian Captain Bangare Navindra Karkera, came under the control of the LTTE near the Mullaitivu coast. Information was limited, conflicting reports were circulating, and the situation was complicated by suspicions that the vessel might have been carrying supplies intended for areas under LTTE control.
The circumstances became even more serious when the vessel was bombed and destroyed. With the ship gone and reliable information difficult to obtain, the fate of the people on board became a matter of urgent concern. The eventual release and safe return of the sixteen Indian crew members and Captain Karkera gave the incident a very different conclusion from the tragedy that could easily have unfolded.
Prashantha Naveen Karkera brings this story before readers from the perspective of someone who was intimately and emotionally connected with the series of events. That personal connection gives the book a quality that cannot be achieved through facts and dates alone. It allows the reader to understand not only what happened, but also the anxiety, uncertainty, responsibility, and emotional consequences surrounding the incident.
The Ananta Press Sahitya Ratna Award seeks to recognise books that contribute meaningfully to literature and public understanding. In the case of Hijack: And Its Repercussions, the award committee found particular value in the way the book preserves a lesser-known historical episode and gives importance to the human beings at the centre of it. The work combines history with personal testimony and turns an incident that might otherwise have remained within official records or old news reports into a story that can be remembered by future readers.
The selection committee also appreciated the restraint with which the subject is approached. The book deals with war, suspicion, military action, and unanswered questions, yet it does not depend on exaggeration. Instead, it acknowledges the difficulty of establishing complete facts in the confusion of conflict. This willingness to leave uncertainty where certainty cannot honestly be claimed adds credibility and maturity to the narrative.
Another important reason for the book’s selection is its message. Hijack: And Its Repercussions reminds us that wars and political conflicts are never limited to governments, armies, or organisations. Their consequences reach sailors, workers, families, officials, and citizens who may have had no role in creating the conflict. The book therefore becomes more than the story of one vessel. It becomes a reflection on the value of human life and on the responsibility to protect people caught between competing forces.
As a work of general non-fiction, the book has relevance for readers interested in history, diplomacy, international relations, conflict, maritime incidents, and real-life survival. At the same time, its human focus makes it accessible even to readers who may not be familiar with the political background of Sri Lanka during that period.
The six-member reading and evaluation process further recognised the book for its originality, historical importance, emotional depth, and contribution to preserving memory. Each reader found that the work offered something beyond a simple reconstruction of events. It gives voice and permanence to a moment in which uncertainty and danger were met by persistence, diplomacy, and concern for human life.
Ananta Press extends its heartfelt congratulations to Prashantha Naveen Karkera on receiving the Sahitya Ratna Award for Hijack: And Its Repercussions. May this recognition bring the book to a wider readership and encourage more readers to engage with this important account. We wish the author continued success and hope that this work remains a meaningful contribution to non-fiction literature, historical memory, and the understanding of the human consequences of conflict.
Jury Feedback
Glenville Ashby
Hijack: And Its Repercussions is a powerful non-fiction account because it brings a complex historical and political incident down to the level of ordinary human lives. What stayed with me most was the sense of uncertainty surrounding the ship, its crew, and the conflicting claims made during a time of war. The book does not try to turn the incident into easy drama. Instead, it shows how fear, diplomacy, conflict, and human responsibility can meet in a single event. The release and safe return of the Indian crew gives the story emotional weight, while the unresolved questions surrounding the destruction of the vessel remind readers how difficult it can be to establish truth during conflict. I also appreciated the personal involvement of the author, which gives the narrative sincerity and emotional depth. This is a valuable book for readers interested in history, diplomacy, conflict studies, and real-life stories of survival and responsibility.
Kavya Pandey
What I found especially meaningful in Hijack: And Its Repercussions is the way the book presents a serious geopolitical event without losing sight of the people trapped inside it. The story of Captain Bangare Navindra Karkera and the Indian crew is not treated as a footnote to a larger war. Their fear, uncertainty, and eventual return home become the emotional centre of the narrative. The background of the Sri Lankan civil war and the presence of the LTTE give the book historical importance, but the human dimension is what makes it accessible to a wider reader. The author’s close personal connection to the incident gives the account a strong sense of authenticity. I also liked that the book leaves room for uncertainty where facts remain unclear, rather than forcing definite conclusions. That quality gives the work credibility. It is a thoughtful contribution to non-fiction because it preserves a lesser-known episode of history while reminding readers about the human cost of political conflict.
Apeksha Gupta
Hijack: And Its Repercussions impressed me because it records an incident that could easily have been forgotten or reduced to a brief news report. The book gives that event a fuller human meaning. It shows how seventeen Indian lives became caught in the middle of a violent conflict, and how diplomacy had to work under pressure when reliable information was difficult to obtain. The destruction of the vessel, the uncertainty about the crew, and the effort to secure their release create a strong narrative without the need for exaggeration. I found the author’s emotional involvement particularly important because it gives the book a personal voice while still dealing with wider questions of war, state action, responsibility, and truth. The book also encourages readers to think about how historical events are remembered and whose stories are preserved. In my view, its originality lies in combining personal experience with a significant regional conflict in a clear and readable way.
Kavita Kaushik
For me, the strongest quality of Hijack: And Its Repercussions is its emotional honesty. The book is built around a frightening situation, but it does not depend on sensational language to hold the reader’s attention. The facts themselves are powerful. A ship with a mostly Indian crew is held in an active conflict zone, the vessel is later destroyed, and the fate of the people on board becomes uncertain. Against this background, the successful effort to secure the release of the crew becomes deeply moving. The book also makes an important point about how innocent people can suddenly become part of a war that is not theirs. I appreciated the way the author connects personal experience with a larger historical setting and helps readers understand the tension of those days. This work has value not only as a record of an event, but also as a reminder of courage, diplomatic effort, and the importance of protecting human life during political and military crises.
Neel Preet
Hijack: And Its Repercussions stands out to me as a work of memory, testimony, and historical value. Many readers may know about the Sri Lankan civil war in broad terms, but this book introduces them to a specific episode involving an Indian captain and crew whose lives were placed at risk. That focus makes the history immediate and personal. I found the uncertainty surrounding the ship’s cargo, the suspicions of the authorities, and the bombing of the vessel especially striking because they show how quickly decisions are made in wartime and how difficult it can be to recover the full truth afterwards. The author’s intimate connection to the events adds emotional seriousness to the narrative. At the same time, the book avoids claiming certainty where certainty may not exist. I respect that approach. It makes the account more responsible and credible. The book deserves recognition for preserving a human story that belongs within the wider history of conflict, diplomacy, and survival in South Asia.
Deepak Seth
After reading Hijack: And Its Repercussions, I felt that the book’s greatest strength is its ability to connect history with responsibility. The incident involving Princess Kash is not presented simply as an adventure or a crisis at sea. It becomes a story about what happens when civilians and seafarers are caught between armed groups, governments, suspicion, and military action. The uncertainty about the vessel and its cargo creates a difficult moral and factual background, but the priority given to the safety of the Indian crew brings clarity to the human side of the story. I also appreciated the book’s restrained tone. It allows readers to understand the seriousness of the event without turning it into unnecessary drama. The author’s close involvement gives the narrative a personal force that cannot be created through research alone. This is an important non-fiction work because it preserves memory, raises questions about conflict and accountability, and honours the efforts that helped innocent people return safely to their families.
