Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay NIF Book Prize
The Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay NIF Book Prize began in 2019 to spotlight and support outstanding research and writing about the world's largest democracy. Since then, we've awarded it to books that offer rigorous scholarship, sharp analysis, and fresh perspectives on modern India.
We're excited to open nominations for the 9th annual Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay NIF Book Prize. It comes with an award of INR 15 lakhs, plus a special event planned for December 2026.
Our jury, appointed by the New India Foundation, upholds the highest standards of integrity and transparency.
Publishers, independent authors, and translators can nominate eligible works by completing the Nomination Form. Please send three copies of each nominated title to the address listed in the form. The deadline is January 31, 2026.
For this edition, only titles first published between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025, are eligible.
If you've written a nonfiction book on modern India last year and meet the criteria, we encourage you to nominate it. Or if a friend's book deserves recognition, go ahead and nominate them too.
Prize Money | INR 15 lakhs
Winner of the Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay
NIF Book Prize 2025
Aparajith Ramnath
Engineering a Nation: The Life and Career of M. Visvesvaraya
Winner of the Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay
NIF Book Prize 2024
Ashok Gopal
A Part Apart: The Life and Thought of B.R. Ambedkar
Winner of the Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay
NIF Book Prize 2023
Akshaya Mukul
Writer, Rebel, Soldier, Lover: The Many Lives of Agyeya
Winner of the Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay
NIF Book Prize 2022
Shekhar Pathak
translated from the Hindi by
Manisha Chaudhry
The Chipko Movement: A People’s History
Winner of the Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay
NIF Book Prize 2021
Dinyar Patel
Naoroji: Pioneer of Indian Nationalism
Joint Winners of the Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay
NIF Book Prize 2020
Amit Ahuja
Mobilizing the Marginalized:
Ethnic Parties Without Ethnic Movements
Jairam Ramesh
A Chequered Brilliance:
The Many Lives of VK Krishna Menon
Winner of the Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay
NIF Book Prize 2019
Ornit Shani
How India Became Democratic:
Citizenship And The Making Of The Universal Franchise
Winner of the Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay
NIF Book Prize 2018
Milan Vaishnav
When Crime Pays:
Money and Muscle in Indian Politics
FAQs
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The KCBP is an annual award established in 2018 by the New India Foundation, given for the best non-fiction book on modern or contemporary India published in the previous year.
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The winner receives a prize money of INR 15 lakhs.
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There are no restrictions with regards to the writer’s nationality. Works written originally in English or translated into English are eligible.
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Yes, books originally written in Indian languages and translated into English are eligible for the book prize.
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Only professionally published books with national or international distribution channels are considered. Self-published works are generally not eligible.
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There are no limitations on genre. Eligible works include history, biography, political commentary, travelogue, memoir, or any other non-fiction style that offers insight into the making of modern India.
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Yes, nominations are typically received from publishers, literary agents, and independent nominators. NIF may also consider books independently.
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The winner is selected by a jury of eminent scholars, writers, and public intellectuals, after careful deliberation on a longlist and shortlist.
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There is no open application. Eligible books published in the previous year are curated and considered by the NIF team and jury.