Kamal Ghorui
It was an exciting evening at Taj Palace, New Delhi this Sunday (March 22, 2026) as the audience witnessed a heart-warming celebration of Indian women writers on the occasion of AutHer Awards 2026 winner announcements. The AutHer Awards, a joint venture between JK Paper and The Times of India, celebrates women authors who have added value and creativity to the literary space. From authors, publishers, and academicians to book lovers, politicians, and artistes– the seventh edition of AutHer Awards was attended by some of the biggest names in the literary world.Veteran actor-author Kabir Bedi was the Chief Guest for AutHer Awards 2026.
The winners are…
The AutHer Awards 2026 winners were announced in four major categories, namely– Fiction, Non-Fiction, Children’s Literature, and Debut. A Lifetime Achievement award, a Prize in the Popular Choice category (based on an online poll), and a Best Manuscript Award were also given.The AutHer Awards 2026- Best Author Fiction was given to Kavery Nambisan for ‘Rising Sons’ (published by Penguin Random House India).The AutHer Awards 2026- Best Author Non-Fiction was given to not one but two women authors. The award was given to Vidya Rajan for ‘Rubber’ (published by Westland Books), and to Narayani Basu for ‘A Man For All Seasons’ (also published by Westland Books).The AutHer Awards 2026- Best Author Debut Award was awarded to two authors this time, namely: Swati Pandey for ‘Invisible In Plain Sight: Vpiceds Fro The Bylanes of Kamathipura’ (published by Juggernaut Books), and Subi Taba for ‘Tales From The Dawn-Lit Mountains’ (published by Penguin Random House India).The AutHer Awards 2026 for Best Children’s Authorwas given to Likla Lal for her book ‘Ganesh Haloi: Colours of Home’ published by Art1st.The Popular Choice Awardwas won by Astha Gill for her book ‘Blame It On The Hormones:The Divine Chemistry, The Daily Chaos’, for garnering the maximum number of votes online.Veteran Indian author Mrs Urmila Pawar was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award this year for her timeless contribution to Indian writing.And lastly, the AutHer Awards 2026 for Best Manuscript was given to Saanvi Shabeesh for ‘City of Doom’. The award recognises and inspires budding writers to let their imaginations soar.
The selection process
The Longlist, Shortlist, and Winners for AutHer Awards 2026 were chosen after multiple layers of screening, followed by detailed discussions among a panel of eminent jury. This year The Times of India received roughly 3000 entries, submitted by both publishers and authors, for the coveted women writers awards which is the first of its kind in India. The jury considered books by women published in India between December 2024 and November 2025.Check the complete Longlist for AutHer Awards 2026 HERECheck the complete Shortlist for AutHer Awards 2026 HERE
The Jury
The Jury for this year’s AutHer Awards 2026 in different categories included:1. Fiction: Manju Kapur, Sudeep Nagarkar, Kiran Manral2. Non-fiction: Ravikant Kisana, Amrita Shah, Dr Radha Kumar3. Debut: Soha Ali khan, Preeti Shenoy, Vasudhendra4. Best children’s literature: Nina Sabnani, Neil D’Silva, Zai WhitakerTalking about AutHer Awards, Jaya Bhattacharji Rose, Literary Director- AutHer Awards 2026, said, “Women have always been storytellers. From oral traditions whispered across generations to novels that challenge power structures, women writers have shaped how we see the world. They write under pseudonyms, between household duties, before or after their professional commitments, in the early hours of the morning or in stolen hours of the night. Their resilience is not just inspiring; it is foundational to literature itself.“As the biggest literary platform in the country for women writers, the AutHer Awards honours the writers who made the biggest difference, those who stood out for their originality, those who reached out to diverse audiences and those who spoke of, for and to India in the most interesting ways. AutHers Award 2026 represent the very best literature in Bharat.”For more details, log on to https://autherawards.in/
