12, Feb 2024
7 Book Covers Make It to the Shortlist of the Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize 2024

Kolkata, February 12, 2024: Dr. Alka Pande, Priti Paul, Dr. Kunal Basu and Anja Riedeberger and announced the seven shortlisted titles on the second day of the 15th Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival (AKLF).

A list of 7 book covers chosen by the distinguished jury comprising author and Member of Parliament, Dr. Shashi Tharoor; author, columnist and novelist, Shobhaa De; author and academic, Dr. Kunal Basu; Museum Curator and Jury Chair, Dr. Alka Pande; Director, Apeejay Surrendra Group and the creative force behind the Oxford Bookstore chain, Priti Paul and Guest Jurors, Director, Institut français in India and Counsellor for Cooperation and Cultural Action, French Embassy in India, Emmanuel Lebrun- Damiens and Director Information Services South Asia Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan Anja Riedeberger, were announced at the marque event.

7 book award show

In its first year, Bena Sareen was awarded the prize for the book, “Talking of Justice” by late author, Leila Seth, published by Aleph. The following year designer Pinaki De was declared winner for the book “Kalkatta” authored by Kunal Basu, published by Picador India. The third Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize was awarded to Maithili Doshi Aphale for the book “Himalaya” authored by Ruskin Bond and Namita Gokhale, published by Speaking Tiger. In the fourth year the prize was awarded to Bonita Vaz Shimray for the book “Remnants of a Separation” by Aanchal Malhotra published by HarperCollins. The fifth edition prize was handed over to Sneha Pamneja for “Tiffin”, published by Roli Books. Graphic Designer Gunjan Ahlawat was awarded the prestigious award in the sixth edition for the book “Gun Island” by Amitav Ghosh, published by Hamish Hamilton, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Renowned visual artist, designer and researcher, Ishan Khosla was adjudged the winner of the seventh edition of the prestigious prize. Khosla won the award for designing the cover of ‘Kintsugi’ by author Anukrti Upadhyay, published by Fourth Estate. Paramita Brahmachari bagged the eighth Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize for designing the cover of the book titled, Pebble Monkey by Manindra Gupta, published by Jadavpur University Press.

KOLKATA FESTIVAL

SHORTLIST – OXFORD BOOKSTORE BOOK COVER PRIZE 2024

1. NOMINATED BOOK- The Book Beautiful

NAME OF THE AUTHOR- Pradeep Sebastian

NAME OF THE DESIGNER- Bhavi Mehta

NAME OF THE PUBLISHER- Hachette India Adult & Business/ An Imprint of Hachette India

2. NOMINATED BOOK – The Penguin Book of Indian Poets

NAME OF THE AUTHOR- Edited by Jeet Thayil

NAME OF THE DESIGNER- Ahlawat Gunjan

NAME OF THE PUBLISHER- Hamish Hamilton/ An Imprint of Penguin Random House

3. NOMINATED BOOK- Azad Nagar

NAME OF THE AUTHOR- Laura T. Murphy

NAME OF THE DESIGNER- Saurav Das

NAME OF THE PUBLISHER- Solo Nomination/ HarperCollins India

4. NOMINATED BOOK- The Adornment of Gods

NAME OF THE AUTHOR- Devdutt Pattanaik

NAME OF THE DESIGNER- Saurabh Garge

NAME OF THE PUBLISHER- Westland Books

5. NOMINATED BOOK – Not Quite a Disaster after All

NAME OF THE AUTHOR- Buku Sarkar

NAME OF THE DESIGNER- Amit Malhotra

NAME OF THE PUBLISHER- Harper Fiction/ An Imprint of HarperCollins India

6. NOMINATED BOOK- When Indian Flowers Bloomed in Europe

NAME OF THE AUTHOR- Ebeltje Hartkamp- Jonxis

NAME OF THE DESIGNER- Sashi Bhushan Prasad

NAME OF THE PUBLISHER- TAPI Collection/ An Imprint of Niyogi Books

7. NOMINATED BOOK- Mystics and Sceptics

NAME OF THE AUTHOR- Namita Gokhale

NAME OF THE DESIGNER- Bonita Vaz Shimray

NAME OF THE PUBLISHER- Harper Non Fiction/ An Imprint of HarperCollins India