Speaking about the Jury Awards Shortlist, Aakash Gupta, CEO of Crossword Bookstores said, “We are delighted to announce the shortlist for the Crossword Book Awards 2024. This year, we have witnessed a plethora of outstanding literary works vying for recognition. The shortlisted books represent the pinnacle of Indian literary achievement, showcasing the incredible diversity of voices and perspectives that enrich our literary landscape. We are honoured to celebrate these talented authors and their remarkable contributions to the world of literature.”

The jury, composed of renowned literary experts, has carefully evaluated each nominated book, considering its literary merit, originality, and impact. The shortlisted titles represent the best of Indian literature, showcasing the diverse range of voices and perspectives that enrich our literary landscape.

“The Crossword Book Awards 2024 are a celebration of the rich literary landscape in India. From gripping narratives to thought-provoking analyses, the shortlisted books represent the best of Indian literature. Crossword is proud to continue the tradition of honouring literary excellence and fostering a love for reading.” says Nidhi Gupta, director of Crossword Bookstores.

The shortlisted books for this year's Crossword Book Awards - Jury Awards 2024 have been announced across various categories.  The extensive list includes:

Fiction
The East Indian, Brinda Charry published by HarperCollins India
Quarterlife, Devika Rege published by HarperCollins India 
Chronicle of an Hour and a Half, Saharu Nusaiba Kannanari published by Westland Books
Tall Tales by a Small Dog, Omair Ahmad published by Speaking Tiger Books
Never Never Land, Namita Gokhale published by Speaking Tiger Books

Non-fiction

From Phansi Yard: My Year with the Women of Yerawada, Sudha Bharadwaj, published by Juggernaut

The Day I Became a Runner: A Women’s History of India through the Lens of Sport, Sohini Chattopadhyay, published by HarperCollins India 

City on Fire: A Boyhood in Aligarh, Zeyad Masroor Khan, published by HarperCollins India 

Mother Cow, Mother India: A Multispecies Politics of Dairy in India, Yamini Narayanan, published by Navayana

Marginlands: Indian Landscapes on the Brink, Arati Kumar-Rao published by Pan Macmillan India

Business and management 

Accelerating India's Development: A State-led Roadmap For Effective Governance, Karthik Muralidharan, published by Penguin Random House India

AI Rising: India’s Artificial Intelligence Growth Story, Leslie D'Monte and Jayanth N. Kolla, published by Jaico Publishing house 

Exprovement: Exponential Improvements Through Converging Parallels, Hersh Haladker and Raghunath Mashelkar, published by Penguin Random House India

Lilliput Land: How Small Is Driving India's Mega Consumption Story, Rama Bijapurkar, published by Penguin Random House India

Mastering the Data Paradox: Key To Winning In The AI Age, Nitin Seth, published by Penguin Random House India

Children's Books

A Children's History of India in 100 Objects, Devika Cariapa, Illustrated by Priyanka Tampi, published by Puffin

Zen, Shabnam Minwalla published by Duckbill Books

The Case of the Vanishing Gods, Mallika Ravikumar, published by Talking Cub

Bipathu and a Very Big Dream, Anita Nair, published by Puffin

The Henna Start-Up: Andaleeb Wajid, published by Duckbill Books

Translations
Fruits of the Barren Tree, Lekhnath Chhetri, translated from the Nepali by Anurag Basnet, published by Penguin Random House India

Sakina's Kiss, Vivek Shanbhag, translated from the Kannada by Srinath Perur, published by Penguin Random House India

Boy, Unloved, Damodar Mauzo, translated from the Konkani by Jerry Pinto, published by Speaking Tiger Books

I Named My Sister Silence, Manoj Rupda, translated from the Hindi by Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar,  published by Eka-Westland Books

Maria, Just Maria, Sandhya Mary, translatetd from the Malayalam by Jayasree Kalathil, published by HarperCollins India

The Crossword Book Awards 2024 promises to be a night of glitz, glamour, and literary brilliance, which will take place 8 December 2024.