New Delhi: Oxford Bookstores announced Bhavi Mehta as the winner of the 9th edition of Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize at a celebratory event hosted at the India Habitat Centre.
Mehta won the prize for the book jacket of “The Book Beautiful” published by Hachette India and authored by Pradeep Sebastian.
The winner was felicitated with a trophy, certificate and 1 Lakh Indian Rupees cash prize by Dr. Alka Pande, Museum curator, art historian, author and jury chair; Dr. Shashi Tharoor, well-known author, politician and Member of Parliament; May-Elin Stener, Ambassador of Norway to India; Anja Riedeberger, Director Information Services South Asia Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan; and Swagat Sengupta, CEO, Apeejay Oxford Bookstores, in the presence of designers, publishers, artists and literary enthusiasts from the industry.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mehta, the winner of the 9th Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize said, “I would like to thank Oxford Bookstore for this wonderful honour and Hachette India for giving me the opportunity to work on such a beautiful book. I am deeply humbled and grateful. A shout out to Pradeep Sebastian for trusting me with his book, really happy how it turned out. This is for my 1 year old son, Samar, who reminds me everyday to stay curious and have fun”.
In addition to the winning cover, three more designers were acknowledged by the jurors in appreciation of their remarkable command of graphics and visual narratives. These designers are Gunjan Ahlawat for the book, “The Penguin Book of Indian Poets” published by Hamish Hamilton- an imprint of Penguin Random House; Saurav Das for “Azad Nagar” published by HarperCollins India and Saurabh Garge for “The Adornment of Gods” published by Westland Books.
Announcing the winner of the 9th Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize, Chair of Jury, Dr. Alka Pande said, “The Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize has come of age in bringing and showcasing the detailing, interest, and engagement of the writer, the designer, and the publisher. I am indeed very happy to have been associated with the prize since its inception and to continuously be inspired by the creativity and dedication displayed by the cover designers. Each cover tells a unique story, and it is truly an honor to be recognizing and celebrating these artistic achievements.”
The evening also witnessed the announcement of the longlist of second Oxford Bookstore Art Book Prize. Dr. Alka Pande, Jury chair, museum curator, art historian and author; and H.E Ms. May-Elin Stener, Ambassador of Norway to India announced the 13-longlisted book titles at the occasion. These titles were recognised for their quality of artistic composition and overall design by the jury panel.
