Salman Rushdie, seen here lecturing in Atlanta in February, sent his own children to accept the award for his novel Midnight's Children. (John Amis/Associated Press)

Salman Rushdie can be thought of as the Booker Prize's favourite author now, after the Indian-born British novelist scored his third trophy on Thursday.

Rushdie's novel Midnight's Children has won a third Booker Prize — this time the publicly voted Best of the Booker competition held to name the most outstanding winner of the award's four-decade history.

The 61-year-old author, who is promoting his latest title The Enchantress of Florence in the U.S., was unable to attend the London ceremony and sent his sons to accept the honour.

"It's a wonderful alternative to have my real children accepting the prize on behalf of my imaginary children," Rushdie said in a pre-recorded message.

"I'm absolutely delighted and would like to thank all those readers around the world who voted for Midnight's Children."

The novel initially won the Booker Prize, considered one of the most prestigious English-language fiction awards in the world, in 1981. It won again in 1993 when organizers of the U.K. literary honour held a competition called the Booker of Bookers to celebrate its 25th anniversary.

The most recent reader-voted contest was held to celebrate the prize's 40th anniversary.

A panel of literary experts drew up a short list of past winners and called on the public to choose their favourites via online voting and text messaging.

Rushdie beat out an esteemed list of finalists:

• Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee (1999).
• Oscar And Lucinda by Peter Carey (1988).
• The Conservationist by Nadine Gordimer (1974).
• The Siege Of Krishnapur by J.G. Farrell (1973).
• The Ghost Road by Pat Barker (1995).

Rushdie won 36 per cent of the vote, according to organizers.