Dehradun: The Valley of Words Literature and Arts Festival has announced the shortlist for the REC-Valley of Words Book Awards 2026, marking the occasion of PN Panicker National Reading Day and Digital Reading Month, observed from June 19 to July 18.
According to a press release, the shortlist was unveiled in keeping with the festival’s tradition of announcing the finalists during the national reading observance.
The release said the jury that finalised the shortlist comprised winners from the previous edition of the awards: Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri (English Fiction), Soni Pande (Hindi Fiction), Sudhir Vidhyarthi (Hindi Non-Fiction), Sulabha Kore (Hindi Translation), Kripa (Young Adult Literature), Karan Madhok (English Non-Fiction), Banibrata Mahanta (English Translation) and Neil Flory (Children’s Writing/Picture Books).
According to the release, the selection process began in February 2026, with more than 600 books in Hindi and English nominated by over 70 publishing houses from across the country. The books were read and reviewed extensively in Dehradun before being evaluated by resource persons and the jury, which shortlisted five titles in each of the eight award categories.
Festival Director Dr Sanjeev Chopra said the shortlist reflected diversity in themes, fresh treatment of subjects, forthright engagement with conventional issues and exploration of new ideas. He also said the illustrations in the Young Adult and Children’s Literature categories enriched the texts. Chopra thanked the jury members for what he described as their meticulous reading of all the nominated books, the release said.
The release said the REC-Valley of Words Book Awards recognise the best author in eight categories and are among the highlights of the annual festival. The eight winners will be felicitated during the festival’s signature event in Dehradun on November 28-29, 2026.
Describing Valley of Words as a one-of-a-kind, not-for-profit and volunteer-driven initiative of the Valley of Words Foundation Trust, the release said the festival has, over the past decade, evolved into a pan-Indian celebration of Indian writing and the arts. It added that the festival continues to reaffirm its mission of discovering and promoting new literary talent while enriching India’s literary landscape.
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