VoW announces this year’s book awards in 8 categories
By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 9 Sep: Founder of Valley of Words Arts & Literature Festival, Dr Sanjeev Chopra, who is also a well renowned author and a retired IAS officer, today announced the winners of this year’s VoW book awards at a press conference held at the Doon Library & Research Centre, here. This year will the eighth edition of Valley of Words Art and Literature Festival.
Chopra said that, like every year, this year too, book awards have been announced in 8 categories. Chopra asserted that the VoW Book Awards celebrate the power of storytelling and the profound impact of literature on society. This year’s winners like always have been chosen from a diverse pool of entries. The winners have been recognised for their exceptional ability to weave narratives that resonate deeply with readers, addressing themes of identity, resilience, and the human spirit. He shared that, each year, the festival organisers receive about 700 to 800 entries which are at first long listed and then shortlisted before the jury takes the final call on the winners. The whole process of the selection of winners is most transparent and the organisers have no role to play in the selection of awards. He also added that winners of last year’s awards are also usually on the jury next year in the same category. He shared that, as in the past, the awards are sponsored by REC Ltd and carry an award of Rs 1 lakh in each category.
Chopra announced that, in the category of Young Adults, this year, the book ‘Zen’ written by Shabnam Minwalla has been chosen for the award. Chopra said that the story intertwines the lives of two girls named Zainab from different eras, the younger one living in the pre-independence area in Bombay and the older one living in Mumbai in 2019. The book explores political resistance and personal growth of the person who likes to call herself Zen now. Mandira Shah was the jury for this category according to whom the relevance of the story to the contemporary socio-political issues and its empowering message of standing up for one’s beliefs made it a standout choice.
Chopra added that, in the Children’s Literature category, The ‘Chhau Champ’ by Vibha Batra has been chosen for the award this year, which tells the inspiring story of Shubha, a young girl breaking gender norms to pursue her passion for a traditionally male-dominated tribal dance called Chhau. He added that the jury for this award was Achintyarup Ray, who felt that this vibrant tale highlights the importance of perseverance and self-belief, making it a delightful read for young audiences.
Chopra added that, in the English non-fiction category, Manoj Mitta’s ‘Caste Pride: Battles for Equality in Hindu India’ has been chosen for the award. And the jury for this category is leading Pakistani author Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed, who had won the award last year. Ahmed felt the book is an incisive exploration of structural social dynamics in India and that the book’s thorough research and compelling narrative provide a critical examination of social justice which makes it an essential read for understanding contemporary India.
Chopra also shared that this year’s winner in English Fiction category is Smriti Ravindra’s debut novel, ‘The Woman Who Climbed Trees’, which is a poignant intergenerational exploration of a woman’s journey in the background of two countries’ fraught histories. He also shared that this book has been chosen for the award by Vice Chancellor of Doon University, Prof Dr Surekha Dangwal, for its lyrical prose and the vivid portrayal of its characters. He also shared that Smriti has done her schooling from Dehradun’s Cambrian Hall.
Chopra added that, in the English Translation category, ‘Truth/Untruth’ translated from Mahashweta Devi’s Bangla original by Anjum Katyal, has been chosen for the award in the English Translation categories and claimed that the book brings a powerful narrative of class and urban exploitation to a wider audience. Lalit Kumar was the Jury, who felt that the translation preserves the essence of the original, exploring themes of truth, morality, and societal hypocrisy. Chopra said that this story of rape in an upper- class society and the attempts to brush the crime under the carpet reminds one of the ongoing controversy in West Bengal.
Dr Sushil Upadhyay shared with the media that, in the category of Hindi translation, Subuash Nirav’s Hindi translation of Baljinder Nasrali’s original book in Punjabi language has been chosen for the award. This book is titled ‘Ambar Paraiya’ and the jury in this category was Amrita Bera. Upadhyaya shared that the book captures the essence of a love story amidst social and familial tensions. The translation ensures that the story’s emotional depth and cultural nuances are preserved.
Dr Upadhyay also shared that, in the Hindi Fiction category, Uday Prakash’s ‘Antim Nimbu’ has been selected for the award. The jury in this case was Neelesh Raghuvanshi, according to whom this unique narrative delves into themes of scarcity and finality through innovative storytelling.
Dr Upadhyay shared that in the Hindi Non-Fiction category, Dr Suresh Pant’s ‘Shabdon ke Sath Sath’ has been chosen for the award by the jury Laxmi Shankar Bajpai, according to whom the book is a comprehensive guide to the Hindi language and that the book’s detailed analysis of linguistic challenges and its celebration of Hindi’s richness make it an invaluable resource for language enthusiasts and scholars.
Festival Director Sanjeev Chopra placed on record sincere thanks to the CMD of REC, Vivek Dewangan, for his support and encouragement to VoW, as well as his appreciation for the Jury members for their painstaking efforts in reading all the longlisted books to make these final choices.
Dr Rajendra Dobhal, Vice Chancellor of Swami Ram Himalayan University (SRHU) shared that, this year, there will also be a vertical on the Humans vs AI in the medical field, besides a session of tributes to a great scientist and a Dehradun resident, Dr Dhirendra Sharma, who passed away some months ago.
Also present on the occasion were Chairperson, Valley of Words, Rashmi Chopra, and board members Jyoti Dhawan, Satish Sharma, Arun Pratap Singh, Nitin Gairola, Karan Dayal, Bikram Singh, Chief Accountant, Sachin Chauhan (Curator Hindi Vertical), Shalini Butola (EA to Sanjeev Chopra), Simerjit, Anjali Rana, Shivang Yadav (VoW Volunteers) and Dr Tania Saili Bakshi, Programme Director of Valley of Words, Literature and Arts Festival.
