Crossword Book Awards Celebrates 20th Edition with Distinguished Jury
The prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award will also return for the 2026 edition, honouring an individual whose body of work has made a lasting contribution to Indian literature. Previous recipients include celebrated names such as Shanta Gokhale, Amitav Ghosh, Sudha Murty, Shashi Tharoor, and Ruskin Bond.
One of India’s most prestigious literary honours, the Crossword Book Awards, has entered a landmark chapter with the announcement of its 20th edition, accompanied by one of its most distinguished jury panels to date. The milestone reflects nearly three decades of recognising excellence in Indian writing while reinforcing the awards’ role in shaping the country’s literary landscape.
Since being instituted in 1998, the Crossword Book Awards have evolved from recognising a single title into a comprehensive platform honouring authors across multiple genres. Today, the awards celebrate outstanding works in fiction, non-fiction, business and management, children’s literature, translation and several other categories, making them one of the country’s longest-running literary recognitions.
Esteemed Jury Brings Diverse Expertise
For the 2026 edition, Crossword Book Awards has assembled an accomplished jury featuring celebrated novelists, journalists, historians, economists, translators and publishing experts.
The fiction category will be evaluated by bestselling author and screenwriter Anuja Chauhan, acclaimed novelist Manju Kapur, and author-filmmaker Samit Basu. Their combined experience spans literary fiction, commercial storytelling and speculative fiction, offering a broad perspective on contemporary Indian writing.
The non-fiction panel includes historian Anirudh Kanisetti, veteran journalist and The Tribune Editor-in-Chief Jyoti Malhotra, and journalist-author Naresh Fernandes, whose work has explored Indian history, politics and culture.
Books in the business and management category will be judged by financial educator Monika Halan, consumer strategist Rama Bijapurkar, and World Bank economist and author Shrayana Bhattacharya, bringing together expertise in economics, finance and consumer behaviour.
The children’s literature category features researcher and journalist Fiona Fernandez, award-winning children’s author Payal Kapadia, and celebrated writer Ranjit Lal, whose works have inspired generations of young readers.
Meanwhile, the translation category will be overseen by poet and novelist Meena Kandasamy, renowned poet-translator Ranjit Hoskote, and author-translator Srinath Perur, highlighting the growing importance of literary translation in connecting India’s multilingual traditions with wider audiences.
Celebrating Literary Excellence
Crossword Bookstores Director Nidhi Gupta said the milestone edition represents more than an anniversary, describing it as a celebration of India’s evolving literary ecosystem.
According to Gupta, the awards have grown alongside the country’s publishing industry, consistently recognising compelling stories and diverse voices while encouraging readers to engage with books across genres.
She added that the experienced jury would play a crucial role in identifying the finest books published during the year through a rigorous evaluation process.
Awards Continue to Honour Diverse Voices
Over the years, the Crossword Book Awards have recognised more than 100 outstanding books and honoured five Lifetime Achievement Award recipients whose contributions have shaped Indian literature.
In addition to jury-selected winners, the awards will once again feature the Popular Choice Awards, allowing readers from across the country to vote for their favourite books. This dual format balances expert literary evaluation with public participation, giving readers a direct role in celebrating contemporary Indian authors.
The prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award will also return for the 2026 edition, honouring an individual whose body of work has made a lasting contribution to Indian literature. Previous recipients include celebrated names such as Shanta Gokhale, Amitav Ghosh, Sudha Murty, Shashi Tharoor, and Ruskin Bond.
Road to the Awards Ceremony
The organisers will announce longlists and shortlists across all categories in the coming months before culminating in the annual awards ceremony later this year.
The event will recognise Jury Award winners, Popular Choice winners and the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, continuing a tradition that has become an important fixture on India’s literary calendar.
Industry observers view the Crossword Book Awards as an influential platform for both established and emerging authors, often helping bring exceptional books to a wider readership while encouraging literary discussion nationwide.
Growing Importance in India’s Publishing Landscape
India’s publishing industry has expanded significantly over the past two decades, with increasing interest in literary fiction, history, business writing, children’s books and translated works. The Crossword Book Awards have mirrored that growth by expanding their categories and recognising a broader spectrum of voices and storytelling styles.
As the awards celebrate their 20th edition, the organisers say their mission remains unchanged: to promote literary excellence, encourage reading habits and spotlight books that shape conversations across India.
With an accomplished jury, an engaged readership through the Popular Choice Awards, and a continued commitment to recognising exceptional writing, the Crossword Book Awards enter their milestone year as one of the country’s most respected celebrations of literature.
