Second BLF Book Awards 2026: A Celebration of Indian Literary Excellence

The Banaras Lit Fest (BLF) has officially announced the commencement of the nomination process for the Second BLF Book Awards 2026. This prestigious award honours outstanding works published in Hindi, English, and other Indian languages across four categories - Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, and Translation.

To be eligible, books must have been published between January 2024 and August 2025. Nominations open on 1 September 2025 and will close on 30 November 2025.

A poster for a book awards

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

Purpose of the Award

The BLF Book Awards seek to bring forth diverse languages, ideas, and perspectives, enriching and enlivening Indian literature.

BLF President Deepak Madhok stated "Recognising and empowering languages is the core objective of the BLF Book Awards. We aim to bring exceptional writing to the forefront, offering readers the very best of Indian literature."

Award Categories and Benefits

Categories: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Translation (in both Hindi and English)

Prize: ₹51,000 cash, a trophy, and a citation for each category winner

Selection Process: Judged by a distinguished jury comprising eminent writers, critics, and scholars

Nomination Process

Self-Nomination: Authors may submit their entries via email to [email protected] or [email protected].

Publisher Nomination: Publishers may submit category-wise nominations through the BLF Secretariat.

Selection Timeline:

Longlist: 8 titles - Announcement on 9 December 2025

Shortlist: 4 titles - Announcement on 20 December 2025

Winners: Announcement on 4 January 2026 via BLF's social media platforms and official press release

BLF Secretary Brijesh Singh remarked, "The self-nomination facility ensures the process remains democratic, transparent, and inclusive, giving all authors an equal opportunity. It also encourages wider participation, allowing emerging as well as established writers to come forward with confidence."

Special Language Recognition - Kalidas Award

The Kalidas Award will be conferred in recognition of outstanding literary excellence in Scheduled Indian Languages. Carrying a prize of ₹51,000, the award seeks to honour creative brilliance while fostering the preservation and promotion of India's rich multilingual cultural heritage.

Youth Writers Award
The Youth Writers Award will be presented to an author below the age of 30. Eligible works must be published between January 2024 and August 2025. The award carries a prize of ₹51,000 and aims to encourage and celebrate the emerging voices of young writers.

Legacy of Excellence

Following the tremendous success of the inaugural BLF Book Awards 2025, which saw unprecedented participation from authors and publishers across the country, the upcoming edition aspires to set an even higher benchmark for celebrating literary talent.

Ashutosh Kumar Thakur a core team member added "The overwhelming response last year reaffirmed our belief in the power of literature to unite voices across languages. This year, we are determined to make the awards even more impactful, offering a stage where the finest Indian writing, including the voices of young authors through the Youth Writers Award, can shine before the world."