Ntsika Kota becomes first Eswatini writer to win esteemed short story prizeNtsika Kota has inked himself into the history books as the first Eswatini author to win the Global Commonwealth Short Story Prize.
by Carmen Coetsee
30-06-2022 21:10
in Books
Eswatini-born author Ntsika Kota won the 2022 Global Commonwealth Short Story Prize with his short story And the Earth Drank Deep. Image via Twitter @NewTimesRwanda.
Eswatini-born author Ntsika Kota has won the highly sought-after Global Commonwealth Prize for his short story And the Earth Drank Deep. According to Entertainment Times India, the 29-year-old Kota is a chemist by training and a self-taught writer, making his recent literary accomplishment all the more impressing.
--
His now award-winning short story, And the Earth Drank Deep, is a heartfelt and moving tale from the perspective of a group of villagers living in a hunter-gatherer community. According to 947 Radio, the characters have to deal with life-threatening elements such as disease and wild animals.
But this story is much more than just a survival story: Kota beautifully examines the intricate workings of this small community as they deal with grief, death and fear.
ABOUT THE COMMONWEALTH SHORT STORY PRIZE NTSIKA KOTA WINS THE 2022 #CWPRIZE 2022!
Ntsika has made history as the first writer from Eswatini to win the prize for and the earth drank deep.
Chair Judge Fred D'Aguiar described the story as an instant classic
Congratulations Ntsika!https://t.co/hXXcIGsiac pic.twitter.com/2bIiJJVqt8
Commonwealth Writers (@cwwriters) June 21, 2022
According to the Commonwealth Foundation website, the Short Story Prize aims to identify talented writers who go on to inspire their communities. It unearths and promotes the best new writing from across the Commonwealth .
--
This prize is awarded to the best piece of as yet unpublished short fiction (2000 to 5000 words) from across the globe. The overall winner receives £5,000 (about R100,000) and regional winners receive £2,500 (about R50,000).
For more book news and reviews, visit out BOOK PAGE
As reported by Entertainment Times India, this year's judging panel included Guyanese writer Fred D'Aguiar, Rwandan publisher Louise Umutoni-Bower, Indian author Jahnavi Barua, poet and translator Stephanos Stephanides, and writer Kevin Jared Hosein among others.
--
Ntsika Kota has won the 2022 Commonwealth Short Story prize (@cwwriters), making history as the first winner from Eswatini #CWPrizehttps://t.co/maQRaPn5RT (£) pic.twitter.com/i27aqsDx42
BookBrunch (@BookBrunch) June 22, 2022
KOTA REFLECTS ON ACCOLADE: WINNING THIS AWARD IS A HUGE HONOUR' In an interview with Pippa Hudson from Cape Talk, Ntsika Kota was jubilant as he opened up on how much winning the prize means to him.
Kota states I think it will take a very long time to sink in, probably because there was no ambition as a professional writer and I really just submitted the story . He describes writing as a hobby that he enjoyed but never thought that it would be more than that.
In a statement to Entertainment Times India, Kota expressed his surprise and deep gratitude on winning the award.
There are not many literature prizes more global in scale or inclusive in scope than the Commonwealth Short Story Prize. [ ] against all odds, my story was shortlisted. [ ] It was everything I had hoped for. I expected no more. [ ] I never let myself actually hope to win, though, let alone expect to. After all, that would be ridiculous! A rank amateur? In such distinguished company? Fantasise if you will, I told myself, but for goodness sake, be realistic. Imagine my surprise, then, when I got that call.
Author Ntsika Kota ALSO READ: Magic Mike' to Sparkella': Channing Tatum pens second children's book
If you know your rugby, you could win R1 000 in cash! ENTER NOW & WIN
Most recent headlines
18/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
18/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
18/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
18/12/2025
Long-term agreement includes the SES SCORE platform and hybrid distribution worldwide to deliver more than 5,000 hours of golf tournaments annually featuring th...
17/12/2025
Investigative journalists across the Western Balkans and T rkiye continue to con...
17/12/2025
Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame Inducts 10 Industry Icons During Unforgettable ...
17/12/2025
ESPN to Debut MNF Playbook with Next Gen Stats, a New AI-Driven NFL Data-AltCastThe series, powered by Adrenaline TruPlay AI, launches Dec. 22 and runs through ...
17/12/2025
Inaugural Optum Golf Channel Games Debut Under the Lights' in Primetime on ...
17/12/2025
The right playlist is essential on New Year's Eve, building the energy as you get ready and keeping it high as you count down to midnight. This year, Spotif...
17/12/2025
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({...
17/12/2025
Audiences Watched Over 103 Billion Minutes of TV on Thanksgiving Day
NFL Games ...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
KPop Demon Hunters Stars Visit Berklee for Weeklong Celebration Andrew Choi and EJAE, who voiced the film's main characters and contributed to its soundtr...
17/12/2025
December 17 2025, 17:00 (PST) Dolby and LG Unveil a New Era of Home Audio With ...
17/12/2025
Wednesday 17 December 2025
Heated Rivalry will be coming to Sky and streaming service NOW on 10 JanuaryTurn on cookies to view this content. Go to Privacy opti...
17/12/2025
Back to All News
Inside The Unseen World Of Indian Customs: Netflix Reveals The...
17/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix announces PAPARAZZI KING: the docu series coming to Ne...
17/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Unveils First Look at Jo Nesbo's Detective Hole Pr...
17/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Welcomes Warner Bros. Discovery Board Recommendation
Business
17 December 2025
Global
Link copied to clipboard
After Careful Revi...
17/12/2025
RT has announced that Kathy Fox has been appointed Commissioning Editor with re...
17/12/2025
The Hao AI Lab research team at the University of California San Diego - at the forefront of pioneering AI model innovation - recently received an NVIDIA DGX B...
17/12/2025
Editor's note: This post is part of Into the Omniverse, a series focused on ...
17/12/2025
With the new season of Dancing with the Stars shimmering in the not-too-distant future this New Year, the celebrity and dancer pairings of the twelve couples ha...
16/12/2025
Hawkins has landed on Spotify, just in time for Stranger Things Season 5, Volume...
16/12/2025
Wherever you are, your favorite music and audio content should go seamlessly with you. That's why Spotify has partnered with NAVER Corp, Korea's leading...
16/12/2025
2025 Wrapped arrived bigger and bolder than ever. This year's experience is designed to be ultra personal and shareable, with new features like Wrapped Part...
16/12/2025
Three 12-kilowatt Advanced Electric Propulsion System thrusters, supplied by L3Harris Technologies, form the core of Gateway's propulsion system. Pictured i...
16/12/2025
The challenge facing America's defense industrial base is not just about speed - its about rebuilding the foundation that makes speed possible. Our nations ...
16/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
16/12/2025
SEVILLE, Spain Canal Sur, the public broadcasting service for Andalusia, Spain, has completed a total technology refresh based on Pebble's resilient, softwa...
16/12/2025
NEW YORK Teleprompting hardware provider Telescript International has acquired all software code and intellectual property previously owned by Telescript West. ...
16/12/2025
As cable operators face increased competition from 5G fixed wireless access providers, a new report from Ookla Research finds that T-Mobile is the FWA speed lea...
16/12/2025
Apple has announced a major upgrade to the Apple TV app for device owners outside the Apple ecosystem with news that the Apple TV app for Android now supports G...
16/12/2025
Space42 grows Direct-to-Device partner ecosystem through a Memorandum of Underst...
16/12/2025
16 Dec 2025
VEON Announces Release Date for Full Year and Fourth Quarter 2025 R...
16/12/2025
16 Dec 2025
VEON's Kyivstar Invests in Renewable Energy in Ukraine with Acq...
16/12/2025
Back to All News
Emma Appleton, Fares Fares, Frida Gustavsson and Jakob Oftebro...
16/12/2025
Back to All News
Docu-reality My Korean Boyfriend Gets a Trailer and Premiere D...
16/12/2025
Harmonic's XOS Advanced Media Processor Improves Streaming Video Quality and Boosts Viewer Engagement SAN JOSE, Calif. - Dec. 16, 2025 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: ...
Ntsika Kota becomes first Eswatini writer to win esteemed short story prizeNtsika Kota has inked himself into the history books as the first Eswatini author to win the Global Commonwealth Short Story Prize. 
