As Uttarakhand marks its Silver Jubilee, the 9th edition of the VoW Festival celebrates literature from the Himalayas and beyond.
Dehradun, 30 July 2025: Valley of Words (VoW), the esteemed not-for-profit literary foundation based in Dehradun, has announced the shortlist for the VoW Book Awards 2025. The prestigious awards, across eight literary categories, will be presented at the 9th edition of the Valley of Words Literature and Arts Festival to be held on October 25–26, 2025, in Dehradun.
In a milestone year for Uttarakhand as it celebrates its 25th year of statehood, the 2025 shortlist reflects a conscious focus on voices and narratives from the Himalayan region. “This year, we received over 500 entries from 50 publishers, showcasing the vibrant literary landscape of India,” said Dr Sanjeev Chopra, Festival Director. “Our 2025 shortlist pays special tribute to the hills and their stories, which deeply resonate in this silver jubilee year of Uttarakhand.”
Each of the eight categories features five titles, narrowed down from longlists of ten. The VoW Book Awards 2025 categories include: English Fiction, English Non-Fiction, English Translation, Hindi Fiction, Hindi Non-Fiction, Hindi Translation, Young Adult Literature, and Children’s Literature.
Selected Shortlist Highlights:
English Fiction: Border Crossers by Bhaskar Roy and Never Never Land by Namita Gokhale
English Non-Fiction: Rukhmabai by Sudhir Chandra and Iconic Trees of India by S. Natesh
Hindi Fiction: Vaanya by Manisha Kulshreshtha and Zoya Desai Cottage by Pankaj Subeer
Hindi Non-Fiction: Himalaya ka Itihas by Dr Madan Chandra Bhatt
Young Adult: A History of South India for Children by Pradeep Chakravarthy and PNK Panicker’s Ghost Stories by Suresh Eriyat
Children’s Literature: A Tree in My Stomach by Nandita Rao and Will Goondi Come Home? by Adithi Rao
The VoW Jury, as per its tradition, includes past winners of the respective categories. Eminent literary names like Manoj Mitta, Smriti Ravindra, Uday Prakash, Subhash Neerav, Shabnam Minwalla, and Vibha Batra form part of this year’s distinguished judging panel.
Each category winner will be awarded a cash prize of INR 1 lakh, a trophy, and a dedicated session at the VoW Festival 2025.
About Valley of Words (VoW):
Founded to celebrate Indian writing across languages and genres, VoW is a Dehradun-based literary and arts festival that recognizes excellence in literature, translation, and storytelling. With a commitment to cultural preservation, dialogue, and creativity, VoW has emerged as a platform for both emerging and established voices in Indian literature.
