United States Consul General Michael S Owen today released Asha Damle's Marathi translation of American Nobel laureate Toni Morrison's ground-breaking novel Beloved, at the American Center in Mumbai.

The novel won a Pulitzer Prize and, in 2006, was declared 'the single best work of American fiction published in the last 25 years,' by The New York Times Book Review.

Speaking about the importance of the novel, the Consul General said, "One of the goals of our diplomatic mission in India is to promote mutual understanding and respect between our peoples. Toni Morrison's philosophy in Beloved also speaks of mutual understanding and universal brotherhood."

Damle (pictured) -- a bilingual writer based in London and Mumbai -- said the novel was not a traditional slave narrative; it rose above the 'anti-White' and 'pro-Black' categories and presented a holistic-humanistic world view.

American Center director Elizabeth Kauffman said the translation was particularly welcome. "Morrison's message will now reach a wider audience," she pointed out. "Marathi is the fourth most spoken influential language in India. We could not have asked for a more effective vehicle for promoting the message of peace and mutual respect."

Photograph: Uday Kuckian