Indian writer Kiran Desai has won this year's prestigious Man Booker Prize for her book The Inheritance of Loss.

A panel of judges chose Desai's novel from a shortlist of six, with the author picking up the £50,000 prize at London's Guildhall on Tuesday night.

The 35-year-old fought off competition from favourite Sarah Waters, Kate Grenville, MJ Hyland, Hisham Matar and Edward St Aubyn to scoop the coveted literary prize.

The award recognises the best novel of the last 12 months by an author from a Commonwealth country or the Republic of Ireland.

Desai is the first woman to win the Booker Prize since 2000 when Margaret Atwood won the accolade for her book The Blind Assassin.

She also becomes the youngest female winner in the history of the prize.

"I didn't expect to win. I don't have a speech. My mother told me I must wear a sari... A family heirloom, but it's completely transparent," said a delighted Desai.

Hermione Lee, chairwoman of the judges, added: "We are delighted to announce that the winner of the Man Booker Prize for 2006 is Kiran Desai's The Inheritance of Loss, a magnificent novel of humane breadth and wisdom, comic tenderness and powerful political acuteness.

"The winner was chosen, after a long, passionate and generous debate, from a shortlist of five other strong and original voices."

Desai has a strong family connection with the prize as her mother and fellow writer Anita has been shortlisted three times since 1980.

British bookmakers Ladbrokes had rated Desai as 3/1 to win the award, against Waters' odds of 5/4.

Last year's Booker Prize was awarded to Ireland's John Banville for his novel The Sea.

Other previous winners include Alan Hollinghurst, Margaret Atwood, Ian McEwan, Anita Brookner, Penelope Fitzgerald and Bernice Rubens.

Desai is currently a student at Columbia University's Creative Writing Course.

The article Kiran Desai takes Booker Prize originally appeared on 999 Today