Crossword Book Awards 2025
Meet the Jury
Fiction
Navtej Sarna
Navtej Sarna, former Indian diplomat and prolific author, has served as India’s Ambassador to the US and Israel, and High Commissioner to the UK. His acclaimed works span fiction, non-fiction, and translations, while his columns on diplomacy, literature, and culture appear widely in leading publications.
Sunil Sethi
Sunil Sethi, journalist, columnist, and television presenter, has written for leading Indian and international publications, including The Economist and The Guardian. A Nieman Fellow at Harvard, he hosted NDTV’s 'Just Books' and authored 'Indian Interiors' and other acclaimed works, alongside scripting documentaries for BBC and Channel 4.
Vaishna Roy
Vaishna Roy, editor of Frontline, has over 30 years’ experience leading editorial teams at The Hindu, India Today, and Outlook. A noted columnist and book critic, she also consults on editorial strategy and serves on juries like the Danish Siddiqui Journalism Award.
Non Fiction
Satish Padmanabhan
Satish Padmanabhan, Executive Editor at Outlook, has 25 years’ experience across print, television, and digital media. He has worked with Sunday, BusinessWorld, Economic Times, NDTV, and CNBC, taught at TSJ and IIMC, and is deeply engaged in book journalism and literary programming.
Mandira Nayar
Mandira Nayar, journalist and former Deputy Bureau Chief at The Week, has over two decades of experience covering culture, history, foreign policy, and books. A Charles Wallace Fellow (2015), she co-founded 'Agla Varka', a platform for cultural conversations on Punjab, and has reported for The Hindu and The Telegraph.
Milan Vaishnav
Milan Vaishnav, senior fellow and South Asia Program director at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, researches India’s political economy, corruption, and governance. Author of the award-winning 'When Crime Pays', he edits influential volumes, and writes for scholarly journals and the Hindustan Times.
Translation
Poonam Saxena
Poonam Saxena, journalist, writer, and translator, is a former Hindustan Times editor known for her work on books, cinema, and Hindi literature. Her acclaimed translations include Gunahon ka Devta, Scene, and The Greatest Hindi Stories Ever Told. She also co-authored Karan Johar’s memoir 'An Unsuitable Boy'.
S. Prasannarajan
S. 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, writer and translator from Kerala, is acclaimed for award-winning works like 'A Preface to Man' and the JCB Prize-winning 'Delhi: A Soliloquy'. Her translations include 'Baby Doll: Stories of Gracy'. She teaches at Malayalam University, Tirur, and contributes poetry to Indian Ink.
Children's
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, children’s author, is 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. A former engineer, he draws on research and travel to craft ecologically grounded stories.
Deepa Agarwal
Deepa Agarwal, award-winning author, poet, and translator, has written over 60 books for children and adults, including Ashok’s New Friends, Caravan to Tibet, and The Arthashastra for Children. A Ministry of Culture Senior Fellow, her work features on the IBBY Honour List. She is a regular at literary festivals.
Business & Management
Mitali Mukherjee
Mitali Mukherjee, Director of Journalist Programmes at the Reuters Institute, University of Oxford, is a political economy journalist with 20+ years’ experience across TV, print, and digital media. She has worked with The Wire, Mint, CNBC TV18, and Doordarshan, and is a Chevening, Raisina, and Australia India Youth Dialogue Fellow.
Sonu Bhasin
Sonu Bhasin, business leader, author, and family business expert, has over 30 years’ senior experience with the Tata Group, Axis Bank, and Yes Bank. She heads FAB – Families And Business and has authored six bestsellers, including the award-winning 'Lala Shri Ram: The Man Who Saw Tomorrow'.
Sruthijith KK
Sruthijith, Executive Editor of The Economic Times, has led top print and digital publications including Mint, ET Magazine, HuffPost India, and Quartz India. A journalist since 2005, he has reported widely on business and political affairs, shaping coverage across India’s media landscape.