New Delhi, Oct 16 (PTI) — The New India Foundation on Thursday announced the shortlist for the Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay NIF Book Prize 2025, highlighting five notable titles. The shortlist includes “Gods, Guns and Missionaries: The Making of the Modern Hindu Identity” by Manu Pillai, “Savarkar and the Making of Hindutva” by Janaki Bakhle, “India’s Near East: A New History” by Avinash Paliwal, “India’s Forgotten Country: A View from the Margins” by Bela Bhatia, and “Engineering a Nation: The Life and Career of M. Visvesvaraya” by Aparajith Ramnath.
Instituted in 2018, the prize recognises writers of all nationalities who have explored any aspect of Indian history after Independence, whether originally written in English or translated into English. The winner of the 2025 prize will be awarded Rs 15 lakh.
The longlist and shortlist were evaluated by an eminent jury, which included N Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Sons, entrepreneur Manish Sabharwal, political scientist Niraja Gopal Jayal, historian Srinath Raghavan, legal partner Rahul Matthan, Ambassador Jawed Ashraf, and Yamini Aiyar. Commenting on this year’s selections, Rahul Matthan noted that the shortlist reflects the range and vitality of contemporary nonfiction in India. “From biographies of pioneering figures to accounts exploring identity and belief to the workings of democracy and statecraft, these works offer fresh insights into the forces that continue to shape modern India. They remind us that truly understanding our nation requires following both the centres and the edges, the well-known and the forgotten,” he said.
Past winners of the prestigious award include Ashok Gopal for “A Part Apart: The Life and Thought of B.R. Ambedkar”, Akshaya Mukul for “Writer, Rebel, Soldier, Lover: The Many Lives of Agyeya”, and Shekhar Pathak for “The Chipko Movement: A People’s History”, translated by Manisha Chaudhry. The winner for 2025 is scheduled to be announced on December 6.
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