Popular Choice Voting
Auther Awards - Season 7 Winners
Women Auther Awards – Awards Night
About the Awards
JK Paper and The Times of India joined hands in 2019 to bring to you, India’s most coveted Women Auther Awards.
The awards celebrate the contributions of women authors who have, despite all the biases added value and creativity to this space. We wish to acknowledge and award such women authors so that more and more women take up writing and pen that first story and feel proud of their accomplishment.
Let us no longer hide behind pseudonyms and create the respectful space that women authors deserve.
Let’s celebrate the art of story-telling, encourage women authors to express their creativity and fondness for writing, and give them a platform to be recognised.
The last 7 editions have seen more than 10000 entries across 5 awards categories, and immersive multi–city book reading sessions (physical and virtual). With more than 90 eminent personalities being associated over the last seven years’ awards journey, JK Paper and The Times of India proudly present Season 8 of Auther Awards.
Important Dates
Submissions
4th Dec
Registration / Nominations
TBA
Evaluation
Dec / Jan / Feb / Mar
Awards Night
TBA
Auther Awards 2024 TV Promo
Women Auther Awards
Auther Awards 2024 TV Promo
Women Auther Awards
Award Categories
Best Fiction
The Auther Award for Best Fiction recognises and celebrates the best and most original writing in the form of the full length novel.
Best Non-Fiction
The Auther Award for Best Non-Fiction recognises original full-length books of narrative non-fiction written by women. It includes writings with a social message, biographies, self-help, true crime, and books of history.
Best Children’s Author
The Auther Award for Best Children’s Author recognises the most outstanding contribution to literature for children and youth.
Best Debut Author
The Auther Award for Best Debut Author recognises the best first full-length novel or first original collection of short stories by an author.
Popular Choice
Popular Choice recognises the most loved story by avid readers. It invites the audience to vote for books by their favourite women author.
Best Manuscript
The Best Manuscript recognises and encourages young budding female writers to get their work published.
Best Poetry
Celebrating the power of words to evoke emotions, capture experiences and inspire change, this category recognises outstanding poetry that reflects originality, creativity and a distinctive literary voice.
Jury Members - Season 7
Amrita Shah
Amrita Shah is a former editor of Elle and Debonair, an ex-contributing editor with the Indian Express, and has worked for....
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Dr Radha Kumar
DR RADHA KUMAR is a historian and policy analyst who has authored several well-regarded books on ethnic.....
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Kiran Manral
Kiran Manral published her first book, The Reluctant Detective, in 2011. She has published a total of 15 books across genres since.....
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Manju Kapur
Prize for the Best First Book (Eurasia), and was a number one bestseller in India. Her other three novels: Home (2006),....
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Neil D’Silva
As a pioneer of Indian folklore horror in English, Neil has helped reshape the genre in India since 2015. He has served as ....
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Nina Sabnani
Nina Sabnani is an artist and storyteller who uses film, illustration, and writing to tell her stories. Graduating from the Faculty....
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Preeti Shenoy
Preeti Shenoy is well-known name among the readers of romantic and contemporary fiction in India. Her books have done extremely....
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Ravikant Kisana
Ravikant Kisana is the author of 'Meet the Savarnas'. He is a professor of Cultural Studies and Associate Dean at Woxsen....
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Soha Ali Khan
Soha Ali Khan is an Indian film actress known for her involvement in social causes. Also, a producer, writer, activist, she is the....
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Sudeep Nagarkar
Sudeep Nagarkar has authored nine bestselling novels and is the recipient of Youth Achievers Award. He has been featured.....
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Vasudhendra
Vasudhendra has been publishing prolifically in Kannada for over twenty years. A graduate of NITK, Suratkal and an ‘ME’ from the Indian....
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Zai Whitaker
Zai Whitaker grew up in a family of naturalists, which ignited her interest in conservation at an early age. With ex-husband....
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Introducing
Jaya Bhattacharji Rose
Literary Director
Host of TOI Bookmark, the Times of India’s marquee literary podcast; co-founder Ace Literary Consulting and Associate Professor, School of Modern Media Studies, UPES University. She is the founder of India’s most popular blog on the publishing industry and former Editorial Manager South Asia, Routledge (Taylor and Francis).
She has previously been Commissioning Editor and Marketing, Promotions, and Publicity Director, Zubaan (Kali for Women). She wrote the first book market report of India for Publishers Association UK. She has been a jury member for Crossword Book Awards, Scholastic Writing Awards, and mentored the Jaipur Lit Fest team of bloggers in 2019. She has also conceptualized the popular Scholastic Writers Academy programme.
Smita Mishra
Editorial director
Smita Mishra is the Editor of Times of India Lifestyle, Times Food, and Times Travel. She is known for crafting in-depth and compelling features that blend storytelling with analysis. Her passion lies in exploring culinary arts, travel, style, relationships, health and literature through her writing. She leads TOI Books and oversees the editorial aspects of Times of India’s literary initiatives, such as Times Literature Festivals and AutHer Awards. Smita brings a wealth of expertise in the digital realm, stemming from her previous roles at Zee News, Dainik Jagran, and India Today. Her contributions have been pivotal in launching numerous online properties and making meaningful editorial enhancements.
Surabhi Rawat
Editorial Co-director
Surabhi Rawat is a lifestyle journalist currently working with Timesofindia.com. She has over 10 years of work experience and she has covered lifestyle, health, and entertainment beats. Currently, she covers Books, Soul Search, Arts, and Trending for The Times of India’s website and is also one of the core team members for AutHer Awards, Times Litfest, and TOI Write India.
Award Night 2026
