Championing Diverse Indian Voices: Inside The Crossword Book Awards

For over two decades, the Crossword Book Awards have celebrated the best of Indian writing and helped bring readers and authors closer than ever. What began as a vision to recognise outstanding books from across the country has today grown into a much-loved literary tradition that encourages new voices, supports regional stories and keeps India’s reading culture thriving. In an interview with The Free Press Journal, Nidhi Gupta, Director at Crossword Bookstores, shares how the awards continue to evolve, inspire and champion the joy of reading in a changing world. The Awards are being held on December 3, 2025, in Mumbai.

The Crossword Book Awards have been around for years now, becoming one of India’s most loved literary honours. What was the original vision behind the awards, and how has its legacy evolved?

The Crossword Book Awards were visualised with a very clear and ambitious vision: to create India's own definitive and most popular literary honour that would not just recognise and reward the finest Indian writers and their works, but also bring these books to the forefront of public consciousness, establishing a benchmark for literary excellence and celebrating the reader-writer connection. Its legacy has beautifully evolved from primarily being an industry honour to becoming a truly people-driven movement, cemented by the success of the Popular Choice and Jury, which ensures that the Awards remain a vital, dual-faceted platform for critical discovery and mass appeal. While the scale has expanded, the core purpose remains unchanged: to honour outstanding Indian literature and strengthen the country’s reading culture.

How do these awards help nurture India’s reading ecosystem?

The Crossword Book Awards play a crucial role in nurturing India’s reading ecosystem by shining a spotlight on exceptional books and bringing them to the attention of a wider readership. They create visibility for authors across genres, elevate regional and translated works and give new voices a credible platform to be discovered. The Popular Choice categories actively involve readers, strengthening the culture of participation and discovery. For publishers and bookstores, the awards generate momentum, conversations and renewed interest in Indian writing. Ultimately, they help build a vibrant ecosystem where books are celebrated, authors are recognised and reading becomes a shared cultural experience.

What do you believe sets the Crossword Book Awards apart from other literary recognitions in the country?

What sets the Crossword Book Awards apart is that they are rooted in both credibility and community. The distinction also lies in the unique integration of critical acclaim and mass appeal through the Popular Choice and Jury Awards. This dual structure democratises the recognition process by giving readers an equal voice and ensuring that books that genuinely resonate with the public stand proudly alongside those honoured by the jury. Furthermore, our unique position as a bookstore chain allows us to seamlessly integrate the awards into the physical retail experience, with dedicated displays, staff recommendations, and events, completing the essential loop from literary recognition straight to reader engagement and sales.

The longlist, shortlist, and popular choice categories provide a unique opportunity for books across genres to shine. Can you share how these layers of selection encourage diversity in storytelling?

The longlist shortlist and Popular Choice categories create a layered selection process that naturally encourages diversity in storytelling. The Jury Awards, ensuring literary rigour and impartial choice, commence with a long, inclusive listing that is then shortlisted into an eagerly coveted Jury Shortlist. Running parallel to this are the Popular Choice Awards brings in the reader’s perspective ensuring that stories with emotional impact, cultural relevance or mass resonance are equally celebrated. It is this crucial twin approach that ensures books are celebrated for their craft and literary excellence as well as their genuine connection with a huge readership for a true spectrum of Indian storytelling to shine.

What role does physical retail still play in a world where online book buying has massively expanded?

Physical retail still plays an irreplaceable role because bookstores offer something the online world cannot: discovery community and a deep emotional connection to books. It offers an irreplaceable, emotional and tactile experience, which the digital world simply cannot replicate. Physical bookstores are rapidly evolving into cultural centres that host author events, book clubs and intellectual exchange, while our staff-curated displays and informed recommendations build trust and provide guidance. This makes the store the essential 'soul' of the literary ecosystem, where community and discovery happen hand in hand.

Regional literature is seeing a renaissance. How do you view the future of translations in India’s literary landscape?

Translations are becoming one of the most exciting forces in Indian publishing because they allow regional literature to travel across languages cultures and generations. By acting as necessary bridges, translations allow readers to authentically experience the diversity of Indian life, culture and language across states. As readers look for more authentic rooted and diverse stories the demand for high-quality translations will only grow. They open up extraordinary writing from every part of the country and make it accessible to national and global audiences.

What do you think is the biggest misconception about reading habits among young Indians today?

The biggest misconception is the belief that young Indians don't read. In reality they are reading more than ever just in newer formats and across more varied genres. They discover books through social media influencers and school programs and even through fan communities that build excitement around storytelling. Their choices may look different from traditional reading patterns but their engagement is deep and enthusiastic. The real shift is not a decline in reading but an evolution in how young Indians find stories and make them part of their lives.

Audiobooks and digital-first formats are booming. Where do you believe the publishing industry is headed in the next 5–10 years?

The next decade will be defined by a blended reading ecosystem where physical books, digital formats and audiobooks grow side by side. Readers are choosing formats based on convenience, mood and lifestyle which means publishers will focus on multi-format releases, richer audio productions and stronger digital discovery. At the same time, physical editions and curated retail experiences will continue to thrive because readers still value the tactile joy of owning a book. The future is not either digital or physical but a dynamic mix where every format strengthens the overall reading habit.

With AI-powered tools entering content creation, do you foresee new opportunities or concerns for writers and publishers?

AI will undoubtedly reshape parts of the publishing world but its impact will create more opportunities than threats. It can help authors with research language refinement and ideation while allowing publishers to understand reader behaviour and streamline workflows. What remains unchanged is that authentic voice and experience, which cannot be replicated by technology. AI may support the creative process but it cannot replace the human imagination at the heart of great writing. The opportunity lies in using these tools thoughtfully to empower writers and strengthen the ecosystem while protecting originality and creative integrity.

Which voices or stories do you believe deserve more space and encouragement in mainstream publishing?

Voices that deserve far more space in mainstream publishing are those that reflect the full breadth of India’s lived experience. We need more stories from regional writers, young debut authors and creators from smaller towns whose perspectives are often underrepresented. There is also a growing appetite for narratives that explore contemporary India through fresh lenses, whether in literary fiction, narrative nonfiction or children’s writing. When these voices are given visibility they enrich the landscape, expand what we read and make Indian literature more inclusive and reflective of who we are as a country.

What kind of reader were you growing up? Any childhood books that still stay with you?

I grew up as a deeply curious reader, someone who was always exploring different genres and picking up anything that sparked imagination. Like many of us, I started with classics that shaped my early love for stories, books like Enid Blyton’s adventures, Ruskin Bond’s gentle tales of the hills and later the magic of Harry Potter. These books stay with me because they weren’t just stories, they were entire worlds that opened up my mind and made reading a lifelong habit. Even today, those childhood favourites remind me of the pure joy of discovering a book for the first time.

A book you have recently read that you can’t stop recommending?

I can’t stop recommending Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq. Heart Lamp brings to light lives and voices we rarely hear, especially the experiences of women in Muslim communities in southern India. What stayed with me is the honesty and emotional depth in each story. Banu Mushtaq writes with warmth and clarity, capturing both the quiet struggles and the quiet strength of her characters. The stories feel intimate, real and deeply human, and they linger long after you finish reading.

How do you define the real purpose of literature in a rapidly changing world?

The real purpose of literature in a rapidly changing world is to help us make sense of ourselves and the times we live in. It preserves memory, challenges assumptions, sparks empathy and gives voice to experiences that might otherwise remain invisible. As everything around us accelerates literature slows us down just enough to reflect, question and imagine better possibilities. It connects people across cultures and generations and reminds us of our shared humanity. In a world of constant noise literature remains the space where deeper truths can still be explored and understood.

Published on: Sunday, November 30, 2025, 07:00 AM IST