The much anticipated Indian publishing awards, the Publishing Next Industry Awards, were presented on 2nd March 2023 in New Delhi, during the recently-concluded New Delhi World Book Fair. The Awards were presented in 10 categories (see table below).
Aleph Book Company — the New Delhi-based publishing house emerged the winner in the Publisher of the Year category of Publishing Next Industry Awards 2022. The citation read that the Award was presented to Aleph for “the Interesting range of subjects its list covers, including children’s and translated books. Its willingness to take the extra step to ensure that its books are of the highest quality make it stand out. It is noteworthy that, through its books, Aleph has chosen to stand up to the pressures of the prevailing political climate.”
Roli Books, a publisher that has become synonymous with lavish, beautifully crafted books on Indian art, photography, history and world cuisines, was declared runner-up in this category.
Since its inception in 2014, the annual Publishing Next Industry Awards (PNIA) recognise and reward talent, initiative, entrepreneurship and quality in book publishing, across publishers of all sizes, and in all Indian languages. Established under the aegis of the Publishing Next Conference, a platform furthering discussion and networking within the book publishing industry, the Publishing Next Industry Awards seek to celebrate innovation and leadership in the Indian book trade. Based in Goa, the Conference is driven by its two co-founders, Queenie Rodrigues and Leonard Fernandes, and by an advisory body that includes Vinutha Mallya and Rubin D’Cruz.
Besides being awarded to books in various categories, PNIA also acknowledges the importance and contributions of professionals in allied fields, such as editing and illustration. This year, Elizabeth Kuruvilla of Penguin Random House India won the Editor of the Year Award, while Prashant Soni won the Illustrator of the Year Award.
The winners and runners-up of Publishing Next Industry Awards 2022
Category | Winner | Runner-Up |
Editor of the Year | Elizabeth Kuruvilla (Penguin Random House India) | Radhika Marwah (Penguin Random House India) |
Illustrator of the Year | Prashant Soni | Sanket Pethkar |
Book Cover of the Year (Indian Languages) | Paramita Brahmachari, for her design of the cover of Nishite Pawa Desh, published by Jadavpur University Press | Anil Aahuja for his design of the cover of Pariyon Ke Beech, published by Rajkamal Prakashan. |
Book Cover of the Year (English) | Akangksha Sarmah, for her design of the cover of Hungry Humans, published by Penguin Random House India | Akila Sesshasayee, for her design of the cover of Land, Guns, Caste, Woman: The Memoir of a Lapsed Revolutionary, published by Navayana |
Illustrated Book of the Year | Indian Botanical Art: An Illustrated History, by Martyn Rix, published by Roli Books | Mumbai : A City Through Objects – 101 Stories from the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum by Anahita Dhondy, published by HarperCollins Publishers India |
Children’s Book of the Year (Ages 0-8) | Dugga, authored and illustrated by Rajiv Eipe, published by Pratham Books. | Aai and I, by Mamta Nainy, illustrated by Sanket Pethkar. Published by Pickle Yolk Books |
Children’s Book of the Year (Ages 8+) | It’s Time to Rhyme: Poems for Kids of All Ages, by Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan. Illustrated by Priya Kuriyan and published by Aleph Book Company | Pinkoo Shergill Pastry Chef by Vibha Batra. Illustrated by Shamika Chaves and published by Scholastic India |
Printed Book of the Year (Indian Languages) | Mahaparbat : Ek Kahani Hamare Daur Ki, by Amitv Ghosh, published by HarperCollins Publishers India | Madras 1726 by Benjamin Schultze (Edited and Translated by K. Subashini), published by Kalachuvadu Publications |
Printed Book of the Year (English) | Improvised Futures: Encountering the Body in Performance, edited by Ranjana Dave, published by Tulika Books, in association with West Heavens, Shanghai | Born a Muslim: Some Truths about Islam in India, by Ghazala Wahab, published by Aleph Book Co & In the Language of Remembering : The Inheritance of Partition, by Aanchal Malhotra, published by HarperCollins Publishers India |
Publisher of the Year | Aleph Book Company | Roli Books |
