India’s Most Anticipated Literary Awards—the Crossword Book Awards—Reveal their Stellar Jury for the 2025 Edition

Crossword Bookstores sets the stage for one of India’s most prestigious literary awards

Mumbai, August 18th, 2025:. Crossword Bookstores, the country’s most cherished literary destination, has announced the jury for the Crossword Book Awards 2025. Continuing its legacy as India’s most respected celebration of literature, this year’s edition brings together a stellar 15-member jury panel of acclaimed writers, editors, journalists, business leaders, and cultural commentators, setting the stage for an exciting literary season.

Talking about the jury and the Awards, Aakash Gupta, CEO of Crossword Bookstores, said: “For over 25 years, the Crossword Book Awards have been a benchmark for literary recognition in India. This year’s jury embodies the passion, integrity, and deep literary insight that define the Awards. We look forward to celebrating the voices that shape our stories and, in turn, our world.”

Jury Panel – Crossword Book Awards 2025

FICTION

Navtej Sarna – Navtej Singh Sarna is an acclaimed Indian author and retired diplomat, having served as India’s Ambassador to the United States, High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, and Ambassador to Israel during his 36-year career in the Indian Foreign Service. He is the author of three novels, which include The Exile and Crimson Spring, as well as several works of translation, short stories, and literary criticism. His writings span history, culture, and politics, with contributions to leading publications in India and abroad.

Sunil Sethi—Sunil Sethi is a renowned journalist, columnist, and television presenter who has been a regular columnist with Business Standard since 2000. He hosted the weekly literary show Just Books on NDTV from 2005 to 2013 and authored ‘Indian Interiors’ and other acclaimed works. He has also scripted documentaries for the BBC and Channel 4.

Vaishna Roy – Vaishna Roy is an accomplished journalist and editor with over 30 years of experience leading editorial teams and crafting compelling narratives. She currently serves as the editor of Frontline magazine. Vaishna is a prominent columnist, contributing to the fortnightly columns “Woman, Uninterrupted” and “Speech Melba” in The Hindu’s Weekend section.

NON-FICTION

Satish Padmanabhan – Managing Editor at Outlook, Padmanabhan brings 25 years of experience in journalism and literary criticism. He has also taught journalism at the Times School of Journalism and the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. He has also worked with Sunday, BusinessWorld, Economic Times, NDTV, and CNBC and is deeply engaged in book journalism and literary programming.

Mandira Nayar – Mandira Nayar is an accomplished journalist and former Deputy Bureau Chief at The Week, with over two decades of experience covering culture, history, foreign policy, and books. A Charles Wallace Fellow (2015), she is also the Co-founder of Agla Varka, a cultural platform which aims to spark meaningful conversations on Punjab and has reported for The Hindu and The Telegraph.

Milan Vaishnav – Milan Vaishnav is a Senior Fellow and Director of the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. An expert on the political economy of India, he is also the award-winning author of When Crime Pays and host of the “Grand Tamasha” podcast.

TRANSLATIONS

Poonam Saxena –Poonam Saxena is a journalist, writer and translator. She has had a distinguished career with The Hindustan Times, where she launched and edited the HT Sunday magazine, Brunch. She translates from Hindi to English, and her translations include Dharmvir Bharati’s ‘Gunahon ka Devta’ (Chander & Sudha, Penguin Viking), Rahi Masoom Raza’s ‘Scene: 75’ (HarperCollins), and ‘The Greatest Hindi Stories Ever Told’ (Aleph). She was also the co-author of filmmaker Karan Johar’s memoir ‘An Unsuitable Boy’(Penguin).

S. Prasannarajan – Prasannarajan, Editor of Open magazine, is a seasoned journalist with senior editorial roles at The Times of India, Indian Express, and India Today. A prolific essayist and cultural critic, he writes widely read columns and shapes public discourse through his incisive political, literary, and international analyses.

Fathima E.V. – Fathima E.V. is an acclaimed writer and translator from Kerala, and the co-recipient of the 2021 JCB Prize for Literature for ‘Delhi: A Soliloquy’ by M. Mukundan. Her debut translation, ‘A Preface to Man’ by Subash Chandran, won both the Crossword Prize for English Translation and the V. Abdulla Translation Award in 2017. She has also translated ‘Baby Doll: Stories of Gracy’ and poetry for ‘Indian Ink’, and was shortlisted for the inaugural “PEN Presents” UK translation grant in 2022.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Anita Nair –Anita Nair, acclaimed Indian author, is celebrated for adult and children’s literature. Her books include ‘Ladies Coupé’, the ‘Inspector Gowda’ series, and ‘The Puffin Book of Magical Indian Myths’. A Sahitya Akademi and Crossword Award winner, her work appears in 30+ languages. She mentors writers through Anita’s Attic.

Deepak Dalal –Deepak Dalal is a renowned children’s author known for adventure stories that explore India’s wildlife and landscapes. His Vikram–Aditya series spans Ladakh, the Andamans, and the Western Ghats, while Feather Tales engages younger readers.

Deepa Agarwal –Deepa Agarwal writes for both children and adults and has over 60 books published. A frequent contributor to magazines and journals in India and abroad, she has edited and compiled several anthologies. Among various other awards, she has received the N.C.E.R.T. National Award for Children’s Literature for ‘Ashok’s New Friends’, while her historical fiction ‘Caravan to Tibet’ was on the prestigious IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People) Honour List 2008.

BUSINESS and MANAGEMENT

Mitali Mukherjee – Mitali Mukherjee is the Director of the Reuters Institute and the Director of the Journalist Programmes at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, University of Oxford. She is a political economy journalist with more than two decades of experience in TV, print and digital journalism.

Sonu Bhasin – Sonu Bhasin is an award-winning business author, family business historian, and one of India’s senior women leaders with over three decades of experience across financial and non-financial sectors. Sonu has written six bestselling business books, including ‘Lala Shri Ram: The Man Who Saw Tomorrow’, winner of the 2024 Gaja Capital Business Book Prize. She is also a columnist for The Economic Times and has been recognised among the Global 100 Most Influential for family enterprises.

Sruthijith KK – Sruthijith KK is an Executive Editor at The Economic Times, who has worked in leading roles across business media platforms. He joined ET in late 2023, bringing a wealth of experience from his previous roles, including Editor-in-Chief at Mint. He is known for his deep understanding of the evolving media landscape and his ability to navigate the challenges of digitalisation.

First presented in 1998, the Crossword Book Awards have championed the finest Indian authors, celebrating their work and inspiring countless new voices. At the heart of this celebration lies the jury panel. From acclaimed writers and seasoned editors to leading journalists and thought leaders, this diverse jury panel reflects the depth and breadth of India’s literary landscape, ensuring that the awards remain a true representation of the country’s creative brilliance. Across five categories, Fiction, Non-fiction, Translations, Children’s Books, and Business and Management, each panel of three jurors will longlist ten books from publisher submissions across India, before narrowing them down to a shortlist of five, from which the final winner will be chosen.

Alongside the Jury Awards, the Crossword Book Awards also feature the Popular Choice Awards, where readers across the country vote to decide the winning book across different categories. With its blend of expert judgment and public participation, the Crossword Book Awards is poised to celebrate India’s contemporary literary scene, building excitement and anticipation in the lead-up to this year’s grand celebration.

Check out more information about the Crossword Book Awards at https://www.instagram.com/crosswordbookawards/