Nepalese-American Creative Writing Professor Samrat Upadhyay Explores the Universal in Acclaimed Debut Novel.

Byline: Indiana University

BLOOMINGTON, Ind., March 18 (AScribe Newswire) -- Mount Everest. Monsoons. Buddha. Shangri-La. Kathmandu.

Think Nepal, and you'll likely think exotic.

Yet Indiana University Bloomington Creative Writing Professor Samrat Upadhyay said the day-to-day struggles that his native countrymen face are universal. They include falling in love, getting married, lusting after the forbidden, staying faithful and finding happiness. And they are among the themes Upadhyay explored in his debut novel, "The Guru of Love," which was recently nominated for the 2004 Kiriyama Prize in fiction.

The $30,000 prize is given annually to outstanding books that promote a greater understanding of and among the nations of the Pacific Rim and South Asian subcontinent. Among the five fiction finalists are winners and finalists of England's Booker Prize and the National Book Award. The winner will be announced Tuesday (March 23).

"The problems I write about in this book are universal even though they are specific. People want love. They want to marry. People are surprised to find that (the Nepalese people) struggle with the same things they do," said Upadhyay, who is the first Nepalese-born fiction writer to be published in the West.

Upadhyay, 41, is …