Winners of the Penguin Bookseller Excellence Award Announced  

Penguin Random House India is proud to announce the launch of the Penguin Bookseller Excellence Award, a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country by a publishing house that is designed to honour the individuals who are shaping the bookselling journey. This annual award has been established to recognise the passion, creativity, and commitment of booksellers who bring stories to life for readers every day.

The Penguin Bookseller Excellence Award is a recognition of exceptional talent and service in the book retail landscape. With this initiative, Penguin aims to spotlight these often-unsung champions who continually raise the bar for what bookselling can be. Unlike conventional awards, The Penguin Bookseller Excellence Award has been designed as a recognition-led process where booksellers are reviewed by an esteemed jury comprising leaders from the industry and from Penguin. This year, the jury had Gaurav Sabharwal from Prakash Books, Shalina Advani (IBD), and Aditi Kumar and Manoj Satti from Penguin, who evaluated the candidates on innovation, customer engagement, and contribution to the reading culture, among other metrics.

The winners were recognised across three categories: Star Curator Award, Bookstore Star Award, and Special Recognition Award, each honouring a distinct dimension of excellence within the world of bookselling. From exceptional curation and hands-on reader guidance to community-building initiatives and unique in-store experiences, these categories aimed to capture the full spectrum of the impact booksellers make.

Reflecting on this significant recognition, Manoj Satti, SVP- Sales, Marketing & Product, Penguin Random House India, said, ‘Booksellers are the crucial bridge between any publishing house and the reader. They are far more than retail partners: they are cultural custodians and vital advocates of reading. With the Penguin Bookseller Excellence Award, we want to shine a spotlight on their contribution and recognise the often-invisible labour that shapes the journey of every book. Through this recognition, we hope to inspire both current and future booksellers to continue championing stories and expanding opportunities for books, authors, and readers alike.’

With this, we are proud to announce this year’s winners: