Crossword India Partners with Wizcraft International for Crossword Book Awards

by  EVENTFAQS Bureau Industry Watch | December 22, 2017 | News

Crossword Bookstores Wizcraft

Over the years, Crossword Book Awards have been equated to the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize, The Pulitzer and The Booker, and are a definitive, veritable platform for Indian Authors, making it undoubtedly India’s first and most prominent Book Award that recognises and rewards the best of Indian writing & Indian authors.

In its 15th year, the Raymond Crossword Book Award has partnered with Wizcraft, a pioneer in the events, exhibitions, activations, television, PR and digital space and is highly recognised in being instrumental in shaping the event management industry in India.

Raymond Crossword Book Award is the only Literary Award in India for the Indian Authors spread across Lifetime Achievement, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Children’s, Translations and Popular Categories and with this partnership audiences are in for an experience that will last a lifetime.

Awards are given in the following categories:

a. Jury Category comprising best fiction, non-fiction, children’s books and translations.

b. Popular category comprising best fiction, non-fiction, Business & Management, Health & Fitness, Children’s Writing and Biography.

Confirming the association with Wizcraft, Maulik Desai, Head of Crossword Bookstores says, “For the 15th year running, we are celebrating Indian literature and its upswing. Wizcraft’s execution capabilities and its mastery over content is well known. We are delighted to partner with them for our flagship event. Also, this is a pivotal year, as Crossword Bookstores is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Over these years, we have pioneered the lifestyle bookstore concept in India, and evolved to emerge as a culmination of cultural and social interaction for customers as well as authors and poets."

Commenting on the partnership, Sabbas Joseph, Director, Wizcraft Entertainment International Pvt. Ltd said, “We are very pleased to announce Wizcraft’s partnership with Crossword for the grand 15th edition of Raymond Crossword Book Award this year. We are humbled to be a part of such a prestigious endowment that not only endeavors to bring together the entire literary community but also simultaneously provides a great platform to promote Indian authors and their books. With this partnership, we aim to bring about a unique literary experience like no other.”

Indian authors with great following such as Devdutt Pattanaik, Ashwin Sanghi, Ravinder Singh, Durjoy Dutta, Sudha Murthy, Radhakrishnan Pillai, Chetan Bhagat feature prominently in the popular shortlist for 2017. The award ceremony is slated for the 18th of January 2018 in Mumbai.

In 2016, for the first time, Raymond Crossword Book Award introduced the Lifetime Achievement Award, which was conferred upon Ruskin Bond by the legend Gulzar.

The awardees, sometimes discovered by the Award itself, have invariably risen to stature in the world of literature; making the Crossword Book Award a definitive barometer for excellence in Indian writing in English.