Recognising exceptional work in children’s literature, Ritu Khoda and Vanita Pai were presented with The Hindu Young World-Goodbooks Best Author Awards for the book Eye Spy Indian Art on the final day of The Hindu Lit for Life 2017.
Published by Takshila Publications, the book serves as an introduction to modern Indian art and artists from the pre-independence era to the present.
Receiving the award, Ms. Pai said she and Ms. Khoda had conceptualised the book after noticing how little there was for Indian children to read about Indian art. “The book is now used for art education in schools and is also part of art curriculum. This recognition has brought us immense joy, especially because people now realise that there is a need and space for such literature,” she said.
The other authors who had been shortlisted for the award were Shalini Srinivasan for Gangamma’s Gharial , Arefa Tehsin for Wild in the Backyard and Andaleeb Wajid for When She Went Away .
Anil Menon, one of the jury members, and Mukund Padmanabhan, Editor, The Hindu, gave away the award.
“Contrary to misconceptions that writing for children is on the decline, the industry is now flourishing. We received nearly 50 books for the award and were delighted with the work we saw,” said Mr. Menon.
Best Illustrator
Priya Kuriyan was awarded The Hindu Young World - Goodbooks Best Illustrator Award 2017 for her work in Princess Easy Pleasy, published by Karadi Tales. Mihir Joglekar received an honourable mention in the same category for his work in Cricket for the Crocodile published by Penguin.
Illustrator and Author Vinayak Varma, one of the jury members, said they had received a large number of books in various formats, including picture books and comics with illustrations in various styles.
“As a part of the jury, we saw how well the illustrations served the story and what it added to the book. Illustrators are underpaid and often struggle to find a foothold which is why a little recognition goes a long way in encouraging more such ventures,” he said.
Speaking about the awards, Vidya Mani, Managing Editor, Goodbooks, said they were keen on promoting excellence in children’s writing and illustrations.
