Shanta Gokhale honoured at Crossword Book Awards
The prestigious 19th Crossword Book Awards was held at the LaLit Mumbai on 3 December, 2025. Shanta Gokhale, a literary powerhouse whose work as a writer, translator and theatre critic has immensely shaped Marathi literature and enriched Indian literature at large was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Presenting the Award to her was Bachi Karkaria, the celebrated journalist and a close friend of Gokhale.
05 Dec 2025 | 240 Views | By Jiya Somaiya
This tribute makes her the fifth recipient of the Crossword Lifetime Achievement Award, joining an illustrious list that includes Ruskin Bond, Sudha Murty, Shashi Tharoor and Amitav Ghosh.
Showcasing the diversity and ambition of Indian storytelling today, the Jury Awards winning titles range from a 920-page recreation of 1940s Calcutta to a powerful examination of the evolution of modern Hindu identity — Great Eastern Hotel by Ruchir Joshi (fiction), Gods, Guns and Missionaries by Manu S Pillai (Non-fiction), Just a Mercenary? by Duvvuri Subbarao (Business and 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 by J Devika (Translations).
A total of 15 jurors — three representatives for each category — served on this year’s Jury panel. Several of them, including Vaishna Roy, Mandira Nayar, Poonam Saxena, Deepak Dalal, Sonu Bhasin, and Sruthijith KK, were present at the ceremony to present the awards.
The Popular Choice Awards, determined entirely by readers’ votes, highlighted some of the year’s most talked-about and widely loved titles — from Prajakta Koli’s candid coming-of-age debut Too Good To Be True (fiction) to Thomas Mathew’s insightful portrait Ratan Tata: A Life (Business and Management), Sudha Murty’s charming Grandpa’s Bag of Stories (Children’s Books), Sadhguru’s contemplative Enlightenment (Mind, Body, & Spirit), and Mohar Basu’s biographical Shah Rukh Khan.
Aakash Gupta, CEO of Crossword Book Stores, commented on the event’s success: "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."
Making the moment more special, Nidhi Gupta, director of Crossword Bookstores, said, "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 star-studded ceremony, recognising the finest literary contributions of the year and the vibrant ecosystem of Indian storytelling, saw key figures from the Indian publishing and writing world in attendance, including shortlisted authors Prahalad Kakkar, Roopa Pai, Anand Neelkatan, Arunava Sinha, as well as Anupama Chopra, Ambi Parmeswaran, Suvir Saran, and many others.
With the announcement of its 2025 recipients, the Crossword Book Awards has successfully delivered the definitive guide to the year’s most impactful Indian titles. Crossword Bookstores encourages all readers to explore the works of these exceptional authors, furthering the awards' mission to connect quality literature with the widest possible audience.