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- "The Marriage Bureau for Rich People" by Farahad Zama (Abacus) wins the Melissa Nathan Award
Press Release
"The Marriage Bureau for Rich People" by Farahad Zama (Abacus) wins the Melissa Nathan Award12/06/2009
The Marriage Bureau for Rich People by Farahad Zama (Abacus) has won the Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance.
Introduced by comedienne Jo Brand at the Café de Paris in London, Farahad Zama was awarded with the prize and a cheque for £5,000.
One of the judges, Sophie Kinsella, said of the book “The Marriage Bureau for Rich People is a lilting, funny, warm-hearted book set in the world of Indian arranged marriages and match-makers. It deals with both romance and pragmatism in a witty, beguiling way and charmed the judges with its quirky humour, romantic heart and unforgettable characters.”
Farahad Zama lives in South London and writes on his daily commute to work in the City. He said on the evening “I am absolutely delighted at winning the Melissa Nathan award. When I started writing, it was as a diversion from a stressful job and getting awards was the last thing on my mind, especially from a jury of such well-known authors, comedians and literary figures.”
Farahad Zama grew up in Vizag on the east coast of India, where his novel is set. His parents paid 20p per month for him to attend an English school and from there he went on to university where he was recruited by Citibank. He has since worked in Mumbai, Zurich and New York, before moving to London in 1990. He is a director in the FX technology division of Merrill Lynch. Like many of the characters in his novel, Farahad had an arranged marriage to a local girl from Vizag; they have been married for many years and have two sons.