Chandigarh Literary Society announces longlist for inaugural CLF Literati Awards

Festival Director Dr Sumita Misra, who is also the chairperson of CLS, said the initiative seeks to honour stories and ideas that inspire readers and reflect the diversity of India’s literary imagination. “Literature shapes how we see our world and ourselves,” she said. “Through the CLF Literati Awards, we aim to recognise works that enrich our collective consciousness and uphold the spirit of creative excellence.”

The awards will be presented during the 13th edition of the Chandigarh Literature Festival – Literati 2025, which will take place on November 22 and 23 at Sukhna Lake, Chandigarh. The festival is one of north India’s leading literary gatherings and attracts authors, poets, publishers, and literature enthusiasts from across the country.

According to Misra, the CLS received more than 350 entries from leading publishers nationwide. The submissions reflected a wide range of subjects and styles, from political analysis and environmental thought to mythological reinterpretations and contemporary fiction.

A distinguished panel of jurors will now evaluate the longlisted titles to shortlist and finalise winners, who will be felicitated at the festival with a cash prize, citation, and trophy.

In the English Non-Fiction category, the longlist features several well-known names including Ajay Bisaria (Anger Management: The Troubled Diplomatic Relationship between India and Pakistan), Amitabh Kant (How India Scaled Mt G20), Amitav Ghosh (Wild Fictions: Essays), Devdutt Pattanaik (Ahimsa: 100 Reflections on the Harappan Civilization), Ramachandra Guha (Speaking with Nature: The Origins of Indian Environmentalism), Shashi Tharoor (A Wonderland of Word: Around the Word in 101 Essays), and Ruskin Bond (Another Day in Landour: Looking Out from My Window).

In the English Fiction category, the list includes prominent authors such as Anita Desai (Rosarita), Jeet Thayil (The Elsewhereans), Annie Zaidi (The Comeback), Ashwin Sanghi (The Ayodhya Alliance), Amarjit Sidhu (A River Runs Back), Anuradha Marwah (Aunties of Vasant Kunj), and Stephen Alter (The Greatest Game).

The Hindi Fiction and Non-Fiction section showcases noted writers like Anju Ranjan (Sheetal Dhoop), Anurag Anant (Muhavare Ki Maut), Manoj Kumar Pandey (Pratiroop), Padmaja (Main Koi Aur), Kailash Wankhede (Ujla Andhera), and Yatish Kumar (Borsi Bhar Aanch), among others.

Organisers say the CLF Literati Awards aim to acknowledge literary excellence beyond metropolitan circles and encourage both established and emerging voices. With this initiative, CLS hopes to build a vibrant platform that honours writers who continue to shape India’s literary and cultural narrative.

(The author is an intern with The Indian Express)