London, Sep 14 (IANS) Kiran Desai is among the six novelists shortlisted for this year's Man Booker prize worth 50,000 pounds.
Kiran Desaid is the daughter of well-known Indian novelist Anita Desai, who was shortlisted for the prize on three occasions.
Kiran Desai was shortlisted for her second novel, 'The Inheritance of Loss', published by Hamish Hamilton.
The other five contenders for the prestigious award are Welsh novelist Sarah Waters, Kate Grenville, M.J. Hyland, Hisham Matar and Edward St Aubyn.
The winner will be announced Oct 10.
Waters, who was also shortlisted for the prize in 2002, has been named the bookies' favourite.
"Each of these novels has what we as judges were most looking for," said academic Hermione Lee, chair of this year's judging panel.
"Each of these novels creates a world you inhabit without question or distrust while you are reading, and a mood, an atmosphere, which lasts long after the reading is over," added Lee.
Last year's Man Booker Prize was won by John Banville for 'The Sea'.
The full shortlist is as follows:
Kiran Desai, The Inheritance of Loss (Hamish Hamilton)
Kate Grenville, The Secret River (Canongate)
M.J. Hyland, Carry Me Down (Canongate)
Hisham Matar, In the Country of Men (Viking)
Edward St Aubyn, Mother's Milk (Picador)
Sarah Waters, The Night Watch (Virago)