Manjula Padmanabhan wins ‘Sushila Devi Award 2024’

Raghav Chandra, Director of the Bhopal Literature and Art Festival, is pleased to announce the winner of the Sushila Devi Award for the ‘Best Book of Fiction Written by a Woman Author’ for the year 2024. This prestigious prize carries a cash award of Rs 2 lakh and has been instituted by the ‘Shri Ratanlal Foundation’ and is presented during the Bhopal Literature and Art Festival, in January in Bhopal.

The jury for the Sushila Devi Award 2024, chaired by Dr Malashri Lal and comprising Prof. GJV Prasad and Sukrita Paul Kumar, selected ‘Taxi’ by Manjula Padmanabhan as the winner. The decision recognises Manjula Padmanabhan’s compelling narrative and exploration of contemporary social issues.

Now in its seventh year, the Sushila Devi Award has gained significant prestige in the literary world.

Padmanabhan’s novel ‘Taxi’ tells the story of Maddy Sen, a US-educated, independent-minded woman taxi driver breaking societal stereotypes. The plot turns surprising when Maddy is asked to dress as a male chauffeur for a wealthy client. Through this intriguing premise, Padmanabhan delves into issues of cross-dressing, gendered public spaces and societal assumptions about women. Maddy’s sharp interior monologues, witty humour and gripping narrative shed light on the city’s brutality and tenderness, indifference and care, making ‘Taxi’ a profound and engaging read.

The jury remarked, “Manjula Padmanabhan’s ‘Taxi’ eloquently addresses contemporary social challenges while keeping readers captivated through its brisk pace and nuanced storytelling. It’s a testament to the power of fiction to question and illuminate societal norms.”

“We are thrilled to honour Manjula Padmanabhan for her outstanding contribution to literature. Her novel showcases the ability of storytelling to address significant societal themes while engaging readers with wit and depth,” said Raghav Chandra, Director of the Bhopal Literature and Art Festival.

The award will be presented to Manjula Padmanabhan during the Bhopal Literature and Art Festival during January 31 to February 2, 2025, where she will also participate as a speaker in a session around her writing.