Congratulations to Parashar Kulkarni, whose story “The Origin of Cow Therapy” was selected by judge Jordy Rosenberg (Confessions of the Fox) as the winner of the 2022 Aura Estrada Short Story Contest! About Kulkarni’s winning story, Rosenberg writes:

“Cow Therapy” is a historical novel tunneled into the dazzling space of a short story.  A comedic send-up of psychiatric institutions and the self-important, ceaselessly speculating project of British hegemony, the story will have you thinking about its fully fleshed world long after you finish reading.

Kulkarni is a writer and an academic. He has published in literary and academic journals such as Granta, the Sociological Review, Social Science History, and the British Journal of Political Science. His writing has won several prizes, including the British Academy’s Brian Barry Prize and the Commonwealth Writers Short Story Prize. His first novel, Cow and Company, published in 2019 by Penguin Random House, is about a cow protection riot. “The Origin of Cow Therapy” is part of a short story collection on the cow as an object in psychotherapy. He is currently editing his novel set in the labor movement in British India.

Kulkarni’s story will appears in our special arts issue Speculation, which will be out in early 2023. To make sure you’re among the first to receive it, become a member. Through the end of November, Advocate-level (print + digital) memberships are 40% off with checkout code FINAL40.

Rosenberg also selected five finalists:

  • Nicholas Maistros, “The Still Small Voice That Thunders”
  • Ian Maxton, “Post-Literature: Notes on the Dolōrem Group”
  • Joseph Pitkin, “Nomenclator of the Revolution”
  • Michael Powers, “The Wind Has Swept Away What the Fire Has Spared”
  • Swati Prasad, “An Island Without Sea”

Our contest honors Aura Estrada (1977–2007), a promising young Mexican writer and student and wife of the writer Francisco Goldman. Boston Review published several of her works. More on her life and writing can be found here.

Congratulations to Kulkarni, as well as all the finalists! We’re grateful for the support of everyone who entered!