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UBL Literary Awards
Sustainability
This platform, pioneered by UBL and Unique to any institution in Pakistan (Bank or otherwise) recognizes emerging talent in seven different categories and the nascent love of books in the country.

UBL Literary Awards

This platform, pioneered by UBL and Unique to any institution in Pakistan (Bank or otherwise) recognizes emerging talent in seven different categories and the nascent love of books in the country. The UBL Literary Excellence Award was introduced by the bank way back in 1967 as a commitment to elevate the literary standards of the country. Discontinued after the bank’s nationalization in the mid-1970’s this award was re-instituted at the bank’s Golden Jubilee Year – 2009. This revival was a clear indicator of UBL’s progressive sustainability agenda towards providing the much needed impetus to Pakistani writers and encouraging the publication of books in Pakistan.

The reincarnated UBL Literary Excellence Awards were held in Karachi in 2010. With each successive ceremony, these awards have now become a benchmark of literary success and are much appreciated by both the literary circles and the general public. The event is now well-recognized as acknowledgement of UBL’s contribution as a responsible corporate citizen, in supporting and promoting literary activities in Pakistan. The sixth ceremony of the awards was held as part of the high-profile Karachi Literature Festival in February 2017. UBL is now the recognized corporate patron of literature in the country.

UBL has managed to promote literature and literary achievement in Pakistan by awarding indigenous writers whose works are published in Pakistan. For the past six years, many writers have been presented this award in a variety of categories. The bank is making efforts to enhance the stature of these awards so as to encourage local writers to produce works which qualify for and win the same. In return the underlying objective is to promote a culture of reading and writing in Pakistan.

An august panel of judges associated with these awards including the likes of (Late) Mr. Intizar Hussain, Dr. Asghar Nadeem Syed, Dr. Arfa Syeda, Ms. Kishwar Naheed, (Late) Dr. Asif Farrukhi, Ms. Muneeza Shamsie, (Late) Mr. Masood Ashar, Mr. Anwer Mooraj and Mr. Ghazi Salahuddin among others – all giants in the literary landscape of Pakistan, indicates the prominence the UBL Literary Excellence Awards have achieved through the years.

ORIGINS

  • Introduced in 1967 as a commitment to elevate country’s literary standards
  • Discontinued after Bank’s nationalization

REVIVAL

  • 2011 – UBL-Jang Literary Excellence Awards
  • 2012 – 2nd UBL-Jang Literary Excellence Awards
  • 2013 – 3rd UBL-Jang Literary Excellence Awards
  • 2014 – 4th UBL Literary Excellence Awards (Disassociation with Jang Media Group)
  • 2016 – 5th UBL Literary Excellence Awards (Held in conjunction with 7th Karachi Literature Festival)
  • 2017 – 6th UBL Literary Awards (Held in conjunction with 8th Karachi Literature Festival)
  • 2018 – 7th UBL Literary Awards (Held in conjunction with 9th Karachi Literature Festival)
  • 2019 – 8th UBL Literary Awards
  • 2020 – 9th UBL Literary Awards held online owing to covid-19 restrictions

DETAILS

  • An august panel of judges comprising of literary giants
  • 10 categories awarded in English and Urdu languages
  • More than 45 Awards in different categories have been given out since revival of the Awards
  • Over 900 successful entries received for the past six events
  • Over PKR 7 million awarded as Prize Money to the winners

10th UBL LITERARY AWARDS 2021

UBL is pleased to invite entries for the 10th UBL Literary Awards 2021. Pakistani authors with books written and published from January 01, 2020 to December 31, 2020, can submit their work which is will be considered for the award.

Entries can be sent in the following categories:

  • Fiction – URDU
  • Non-Fiction – URDU
  • Poetry – URDU
  • Translation into URDU
  • Children’s Literature – URDU
  • Fiction – ENGLISH
  • Non-Fiction – ENGLISH
  • Children’s Literature – ENGLISH
  • Debut Book – URDU
  • Debut Book – ENGLISH

Furthermore, this year four new categories have been added. These are:

  • Best Song Lyrics
  • Best TV/OTT Drama Script
  • Best Pakistani Languages Literature
  • Best Online Literature

All books written by Pakistani Authors, published within and outside Pakistan can qualify for entry.

Send in four copies of your entries to:

United Bank Limited Corporate Affairs & Marketing 12th Floor, North Tower, UBL Head Office I.I. Chundrigar Road Karachi.

Work published online can be sent to ubl.awards2021@gmail.com

We look forward to receiving your entries.