Introduced in 2006, the awards in this category have been won by poets, short story writers and playwrights. The volume of entries has grown exponentially over the years and has explored a diversity of styles and themes – from performance poetry to science fiction. The composition of the jury for these awards includes poets, literary critics, novelists, journalists, scholars and teachers from different parts of the country.
2025 Longlist – Creative Writing (English)
TFA is pleased to announce the longlist for the twentieth edition of the TOTO Awards for Creative Writing in English. From a total of 179 applications received, 29 have been longlisted for the award. Their names in no particular order are:
Shaivya Ramani, Mumbai
Ajay Kumar, Chennai
Tasneem Khan, Lucknow
Shefali Mathew, Vellore
Lonav Ojha, Hyderabad
Parvathy Babu, Alappuzha, Kerala
Yukti Narang, Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Nikhita Singh, Mumbai
Tuhin Bhowal, Bengaluru
Jayant Kashyap, Indore
Anandita Balsavar, Hubballi, Karnataka
Archita Mittra, Kolkata
Kinshuk Gupta, Kaithal, Haryana
Aleena Sabu, Ernakulam, Kerala
Shanaia Kapoor, Bengaluru
Prithvi Pudhiarkar, Mumbai
Pranavesh Subramanian, Delhi
Ayushi Dubey, Pune
Anushka Lakkavalli, Bengaluru
Ananya Ghosh, Kolkata
Anushka Paresh Nagarmath, Mumbai
Abhijeet Singh, Lucknow
Garima Sane, Chennai
Trishita Das, Kolkata
Pranav VS, Bengaluru
Amna Ali Khan, Lucknow
Sahil Minhas, Mumbai
Hayaat Fatemah, Kolkata
Lavanya Krishna, Bengaluru
These awards are being supported by Naboneeta Majumdar (in memory of Dipali and Nitai Majumdar) and Sarita Vellani
Past Winners
Zainab Ummer Farook, Faiz Ahmad (2024)
Moachiba Jamir, Aparna Chivukula (2023)
Aswin Vijayan, Uday Kanungo (2022)
Kunjana Parashar, Amulya B (2021)
Riddhi Dastidar, Noor Niamat Singh (2020)
Swati Simha, Shreya Ila Anasuya (2019)
Maya Palit, Urvashi Bahuguna (2018)
Arvind Jayan, Sohini Basak (2017)
Tushar Jain, Danish Shaikh (2016)
Mohit Parikh, Kaushik Viswanath (2015)
Rohan Chhetri, Mihir Vatsa (2014)
Swetanshu Bora, Aditi Rao (2013)
Ramneek Singh, Joshua Muyiwa (2012)
Deepika Arwind, Ishita Basu Mallik (2011)
Abhishek Majumdar, Ram Ganesh Kamatham (2010)
Aditi Machado, Neel Chaudhuri (2009)
Anindita Sengupta, Arka Mukhopadhyay (2008)
Monica Mody, Sneha Rajaram (2007)
Nisha Susan, Shakti Bhatt, SS Prasad (2006)