The people’s voice takes centre stage as the Crossword Book Awards 2025 unveil the much-anticipated Popular Choice Shortlist, featuring a vibrant mix of literary stalwarts and emerging voices. Voting for the reader-driven awards opened on 1 October and will remain live until 23 November 2025.

This year’s shortlist spans five categories – Fiction, Non-fiction, Mind, Body & Spirit, Children’s Books, and Business & Management – reflecting the breadth of India’s literary landscape. Eligible books, published in English between March 2024 and March 2025, were shortlisted on the basis of sales across Crossword Bookstores.

Announcing the shortlist, Aakash Gupta, CEO of Crossword Bookstores, said:
“The Popular Choice Shortlist showcases books that captured readers’ attention over the past year—stories and ideas that found their way into everyday conversations. This award is determined entirely by readers, who vote for the books that resonated most with them. It stands as a celebration of their role in shaping and supporting India’s literary landscape.”

The 2025 line-up includes Sudha Murty, Ruskin Bond, Durjoy Datta, Sadhguru, Shashi Tharoor, and Ratan Tata’s biography by Thomas Mathew, alongside newer names such as Prajakta Koli, Masoom Minawala, and Akshat Gupta, capturing both established and contemporary voices.

Instituted in 1998, the Crossword Book Awards remain one of India’s most prestigious literary honours, uniquely combining jury recognition with reader-driven Popular Choice Awards.

Readers can cast their votes online until 23 November 2025, helping decide this year’s champions of Indian storytelling.

Head over to https://www.crossword.in/pages/crossword-book-awards-voting to cast your vote.

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