Winner of the 2025 Sushila Devi Award for Best Book of Fiction by a Woman Author is S. B. Divya
The Shri Ratanlal Foundation has announced S. B. Divya as the winner of the 2025 Sushila Devi Award for the Best Book of Fiction written by a Woman Author in 2024.
prativad 
The Shri Ratanlal Foundation has announced S. B. Divya as the winner of the 2025 Sushila Devi Award for the Best Book of Fiction written by a Woman Author in 2024. The award will be presented at the Bhopal Literature Festival, 2026.
She has been selected for her novel Loka, published by Hachette India, which the distinguished jury unanimously recognised for its literary excellence, originality, and philosophical depth within the genre of speculative fiction.
In its official citation, the jury stated:
“Created within the genre of speculative fiction, the characters retain human traits of empathy and compassion even within a society dominated by technology. ‘Loka’, as a version of ‘Earth’ contains much that is unknowable, yet it is realistic, and presented convincingly. The human species has evolved into post-human forms where ‘Alloys’ are in control, nevertheless concepts of love and friendship still hold their own. In such science fiction, there is transformation in consciousness and philosophy in a technology-driven world. In all, S. B. Divya presents an amazing and laudable blend of fantasy and humanism, with some memorable scenes of outer space. An outstanding work of fiction, the jury members unanimously selected Loka as the winner.”
About the Author
S. B. Divya is an award-winning Indian–American author known for her work in speculative and science fiction. Her writing explores themes of technology, identity, ethics, and post-human futures with strong philosophical depth. Her notable works include Machinehood, Meru, and Loka. She has received several international honours, including the Nebula Award, and is regarded as a significant contemporary voice in global speculative fiction.
Instituted by the Shri Ratanlal Foundation, the Sushila Devi Award has, over the years, emerged as a significant marker of literary excellence. Now in its seventh year, the award has earned considerable prestige within the literary community.
Previous recipients of the Sushila Devi Award include:
• 2024: Manjula Padmanabhan for “Taxi”
• 2023: Janice Pariat for “Everything the Light Touches”
• 2022: Anuradha Roy for “The Earthspinner” (Awarded at BLF 2023)
• 2021: Anukrti Upadhyay for “Kintsugi”
• 2020: Shubhangi Swarup for “Latitudes of Longing” (Awarded at BLF 2021)
• 2019: Namita Gokhale for “Things to Leave Behind” (Awarded at BLF 2020)
The award ceremony will take place in the Bhopal Literature and Art Festival 2026, scheduled from 9 to 11 January 2026, held at Bharat Bhavan Bhopal that has been celebrated annually as a Knowledge Kumbh since 2019.
