Prize to be Awarded at the 2024 Bangalore Literature Festival with INR 15 Lakhs and Citation
National, Thursday, November 14, 2024: The New India Foundation is pleased to announce Ashok Gopal as the winner of the Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay NIF Book Prize 2024 for his compelling biography A Part Apart: The Life and Thought of B.R. Ambedkar, published by Navayana. This prestigious award honours exceptional non-fiction writing on modern and contemporary Indian history, with Gopal’s book standing out for its meticulous research and profound insights into Ambedkar’s contributions to India’s democratic and social framework.
The winning author will be presented with the award, which includes a cash prize of INR 15 lakhs, a trophy, and a citation, at the Bangalore Literature Festival on Saturday, December 14, 2024.
The eminent Prize Jury includes political scientist Niraja Gopal Jayal (Chair); entrepreneur Manish Sabharwal; historian Srinath Raghavan; former diplomat Navtej Sarna; policy analyst Yamini Aiyar, and lawyer Rahul Matthan.
As the Prize Jury notes in their citation: “This remarkable book, based on prodigious research, delves into Ambedkar’s many lives—as a pioneering activist and leader of the Dalits, a tireless political organizer, a writer and publicist, constitutionalist and Cabinet Minister, as well as a peerless economic and political thinker. Ashok Gopal does full justice to each facet of this extraordinary life, and in so doing he opens a fascinating window on India’s public life in its tumultuous passage to freedom and beyond.”
Selected from a shortlist of five outstanding books, Gopal’s work joins the ranks of notable narratives that bring new perspectives to India’s recent history. The shortlist included:
- How Prime Ministers Decide by Neerja Choudhry (Aleph Book Company)
- Fire on the Ganges: Life Among the Dead in Banaras by Radhika Iyengar (HarperCollins)
- H-Pop: The Secretive World of Hindutva Pop Stars by Kunal Purohit (HarperCollins)
- Sheikh Abdullah: The Caged Lion of Kashmir by Chitralekha Zutshi (HarperCollins)
A Towering Figure of Indian History
Gopal’s biography delivers a vivid account of Ambedkar’s life journey—from facing systemic oppression to shaping India’s constitution as an advocate for marginalized communities. Drawing from an extensive range of sources and archival material, the book examines Ambedkar’s pioneering work against caste discrimination, his political and legal battles, and his transformative choice to embrace Buddhism for social and spiritual liberation.
Applications Open for NIF Book Fellowships
The New India Foundation invites applications for Round 12 of the NIF Book Fellowships, supporting original research and writing on India’s post-Independence journey. For details and application guidelines, please visit our website at www.newindiafoundation.org.
The New India Foundation is guided by an esteemed Board of Trustees, including Ramachandra Guha, Nandan Nilekani, Niraja Gopal Jayal, Manish Sabharwal, and Srinath Raghavan, all of whom bring invaluable expertise and vision to the Foundation’s mission.
The Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay NIF Book Prize 2024 | WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBd5gjSZmGg
For more information, please contact: yauvanika@newindiafoundation.org
