The 12th edition of the Publishing Next Industry Awards will be presented on January 12, 2026, at a function in New Delhi. The awards will be presented in 11 categories. These awards, instituted in 2014, are presented to publishers and publishing professionals and “recognise talent, initiative, entrepreneurship and quality in book publishing.”

The shortlisted submissions in each category are as follows:

Editor of the Year

  • Anita Manu, Juggernaut Books

  • Lokesh Malti Prakash, Eklavya Foundation

  • Reena Shalini, Kalachuvadu Publications

  • Seema, Eklavya Foundation

Illustrator of the Year

  • Cheyenne Olivier, Juggernaut Books

  • Krishna Bala Shenoi, Pratham Books

  • Ogin Nayam, Pratham Books

  • Pankaj Saikia, Pratham Books

  • Rajiv Eipe, HarperCollins India

Printed Book of the Year (English)

Printed Book of the Year (Art, Illustration, and Photography)

  • FN Souza: The Archetypal Artist, Janeita Singh, Niyogi Books

  • Food and Farming: A Journey Through India in Comics, Orijit Sen, Vidyun Sabhaney, Harsho Mohan Chattoraj, Leftword Books

  • PNK Panicker’s Ghost Stories, Suresh Eriyat, illustrated by Adithi Krishnadas, Tulika Publishers

  • Rain Dogs, Rohit Chawla, HarperCollins India

  • Theyyam: Indian Folk Ritual Theatre – An Insider’s Vision, KK Gopalakrishnan, Niyogi Books.

Printed Book of the Year (Indian Languages)

  • Aazaadi, by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, translated by Naved Akber, HarperCollins India

  • Awaak, Gagan Gill, Rajkamal Prakashan

  • Bhojan aur Pachan, Anu Gupta, illustrated by Karen Haydock, designed by Kanak Shashi, Eklavya Foundation

  • Gungunaiye, Gulzar, Radhakrishna Prakashan

  • Seepiyaan, Javed Akhtar, Rajkamal Prakashan

Children’s Book of the Year (For ages 0-8)

  • Cutpiece Kumar (Bengali ed.), written and illustrated by Indu L Harikumar, translated from English to Bangla by Shuddho Banerjee, Eklavya Foundation

  • Ee ki Matra, Farah Aziz, illustrated by Rajiv Eipe, Jugnoo Prakashan, Ektara

  • Go Go Flamingo, Devashish Makhija, illustrated by Priya Kuriyan, Tulika Publishers

  • Nila Nila, written and composed by Gurupriya Atreya and Vedanth Bharadwaj, illustrated by Vaishnavi Giri, T4tales

  • The Rat in the Cat, Arundhati Venkatesh, illustrated by Canato Jimo, Pratham Books

Children’s Book of the Year (For ages 8+)

  • Kya, Hai Kya Ye, written and illustrated by Rohan Chakravarty, designed by Kanak Shashi, Eklavya Foundation

  • Master of the 7 Swars, Pratyush Gupta, Roli Books

  • Song of the Asunam, CG Salamander, HarperCollins Children’s Books

  • The Little Book of Indian Dogs, Anusha Ramanathan, HarperCollins Children’s Books

  • The School for Bad Girls, Madhurima Vidyarthi, Duckbill

Book Cover of the Year (Children’s Books)

  • Baloo’s Big Win: How Palwankar Baloo Broke the Caste Barrier in Cricket, cover designed by Samar Bansal, Puffin

  • How and Why Tales, cover designed by Gina Mary James, Puffin

  • Kempi, cover designed by Richa Shubhangi, Awwa Pustaka

  • Master of the 7 Swars, cover designed by Pratyush Gupta, Roli Books

  • Muthu and Kappu, cover designed by Sheena Deviah, Pratham Books

Book Cover of the Year (Indian Languages)

  • Adugemaneyalondu Huli, cover designed by Karthik, Bahuroopi

  • On Merleau-Ponty, cover designed by Trinankur Banerjee, Jadavpur University Press

  • Phans, cover designed by Shiraz Hussain, Rajkamal Prakashan

  • Thakurbadi, cover designed by Aditya, Penguin Random House India

  • Ujla Andhera, cover designed by Shiraz Hussain, Rajkamal Prakashan

Book Cover of the Year (English)

Publisher of the Year

  • Aleph Book Company

  • Ektara Trust

  • Juggernaut Books

  • Pan Macmillan India

  • Yoda Press