Jamir Nazir wins 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize for story at the centre of an AI controversy

Trinidadian writer Jamir Nazir’s story, “The Serpent in the Grove” is the overall winner of the 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize. He was also the regional winner from the Caribbean, and receives a cash prize of £5000.

A controversy broke out over the story after the 2026 regional winners were announced. Writer and researcher Nabeel S Qureshi pointed to parts of Nazir’s story showcasing typical “ChatGPT-generated” language. Jenna Russel, a research scientist at Pangram, said that three from this year’s five regional winners, including Nazir’s, seemed to have been partly or wholly AI creations.

In response, the Commonwealth Foundation said it had reviewed the matter and had decided to stand by the choices of its jury. Razmi Farook, the Director-General of the Commonwealth Foundation, said in a statement, “…After a thorough consultation with our judges and careful consideration of all available information, we are satisfied that AI was not used to write the winning stories. Therefore, we will proceed with the regional winners selected by the independent judging process.”

Meanwhile, Granta, which until now had been publishing the regional winners of the Prize, said it would no longer be following this practice, and would only publish material chosen by its own editors. The magazine said, “The 2026 selection of the regional winners of the Commonwealth prize caused a great deal of controversy, based on the speculation that one or more of the stories may have been at least partially AI-generated, accusations that were strongly rejected by the authors. For the sake of our own editorial integrity, the Granta Trust board has now taken the decision that we will no longer engage in external publishing partnerships…”

“The Serpent in the Grove” tells the story of Vishnu Mohammed, an impoverished Trinidadian farmer struggling to support his young wife Sita and their child, Puttie. He becomes obsessed with a young woman, Zoongie, who works in the village rum shack. Vishnu resolves to murder his young wife, Sita, by tricking her into falling into a well in a hidden grove. But his plan is foiled unexpectedly, with surprising consequences.

Louise Doughty, Chair, 2026 Judging Panel, said that story is “…an original, poetic and deeply moving story.” Nazir said, “This story began in my childhood in rural Trinidad. Each day, I walked to school past rum shops where cane workers and labourers gathered. I remember the voices, the laughter, the arguments and conversations that shaped village life. Even as a child, I sensed the hardship carried by families affected by alcohol. ‘The Serpent in the Grove’ is fiction, but it grew from those early observations and from the lives of ordinary people whose stories are rarely written down.”

Here is the complete list of regional winners, who were in the running for the overwall award:

• Africa: “Me and Ma’am”, Lisa-Anne Julien (South Africa)

• Asia: “Mehendi Nights”, Sharon Aruparayil (India)

• Canada/Europe: “The Bastion’s Shadow”, John Edward DeMicoli (Malta)

• Caribbean: “The Serpent in the Grove”, Jamir Nazir (Trinidad and Tobago)

• Pacific: “Second Skin”, Holly Ann Miller (New Zealand)