The 19th Crossword Book Awards celebrated the breadth and depth of Indian writing at a ceremony held on December 3 at The LaLit Mumbai, honouring acclaimed writer, translator and theatre critic Shanta Gokhale with the Lifetime Achievement Award. The honour was presented by celebrated journalist and close friend Bachi Karkaria. Gokhale becomes the fifth recipient of the award, joining Ruskin Bond, Sudha Murty, Shashi Tharoor and Amitav Ghosh.
Showcasing the diversity of Indian literature, this year’s Jury Awards spanned a wide range of genres—from historical fiction to children’s writing and translations. The winning titles included Great Eastern Hotel by Ruchir Joshi (Fiction), Gods, Guns and Missionaries: The Making of the Modern Hindu Identity by Manu S. Pillai (Non-fiction), Just a Mercenary? Notes from My Life and Career by Duvvuri Subbarao (Business & Management), The Wall Friends Club by Varsha Seshan, illustrated by Denise Antao (Children’s Books), and The Day the Earth Bloomed by Manoj Kuroor, translated from Malayalam by J. Devika (Translations).
A 15-member jury panel—three representatives for each category—presided over the selections. Several jurors, including Vaishna Roy, Mandira Nayar, Poonam Saxena, Deepak Dalal, Sonu Bhasin and Sruthijith KK, were present at the ceremony to confer the awards.
The Popular Choice Awards, determined entirely by readers’ votes, spotlighted widely-loved titles of the year. Winners included Prajakta Koli’s debut Too Good To Be True (Fiction), Mohar Basu’s Shah Rukh Khan (Non-fiction), Sudha Murty’s Grandpa’s Bag of Stories (Children’s Books), Thomas Mathew’s Ratan Tata (Business & Management), and Sadhguru’s Enlightenment (Mind, Body & Spirit).
Aakash Gupta, CEO of Crossword Bookstores, remarked on the event’s success, saying, “We are thrilled by the range and depth of talent recognised this year. The awards stand as a definitive benchmark for literary discovery, celebrating voices that are original, impactful and essential reading. We believe these titles will spark conversations, shape perspectives and inspire an entire generation of readers.”
Nidhi Gupta, Director of Crossword Bookstores, added, “Tonight was a mesmerising reminder of the enduring power of storytelling. These books open windows into worlds we might never otherwise encounter. We are honoured to offer a platform where such profound and transformative literary contributions can be recognised, celebrated and shared with readers everywhere.”
The ceremony saw an impressive turnout of prominent authors and publishing industry figures, including shortlisted writers Prahalad Kakkar, Roopa Pai, Anand Neelakantan and Arunava Sinha, as well as Anupama Chopra, Ambi Parameswaran and Suvir Saran.
With the announcement of the 2025 winners, the Crossword Book Awards reinforced its position as a definitive guide to the year’s most influential Indian titles. The organisers encouraged readers to explore the selected works, continuing the awards’ mission of promoting meaningful and impactful literature.
Winners: Crossword Book Awards 2025
Lifetime Achievement Award
– Shanta Gokhale
Jury Awards
- Fiction: Great Eastern Hotel by Ruchir Joshi (HarperCollins Publishers India)
- Non-Fiction: Gods, Guns and Missionaries by Manu S. Pillai (Penguin Random House India)
- Children’s Books: The Wall Friends Club by Varsha Seshan, illustrated by Denise Antao (HarperCollins Publishers India)
- Business & Management: Just a Mercenary? by Duvvuri Subbarao (Penguin Random House India)
- Translations: The Day the Earth Bloomed by Manoj Kuroor, translated by J. Devika (Bloomsbury)
Popular Choice Awards
- Fiction: Too Good To Be True by Prajakta Koli (HarperCollins Publishers India)
- Non-Fiction: Shah Rukh Khan by Mohar Basu (HarperCollins Publishers India)
- Children’s Books: Grandpa’s Bag of Stories by Sudha Murty (Penguin Random House India)
- Business & Management: Ratan Tata by Thomas Mathew (HarperCollins Publishers India)
- Mind, Body & Spirit: Enlightenment by Sadhguru (Penguin Random House India)
As the curtains fell on the 19th edition, the Crossword Book Awards once again reaffirmed their role as a beacon for outstanding Indian writing—honouring the voices shaping today’s literary landscape and inspiring the readers of tomorrow.
