Raj Kamal Jha wins Banaras Lit Fest Award

Raj Kamal Jha, Chief Editor of The Indian Express and a celebrated author, has won the Banaras Lit Fest Award in the Ruskin Bond Fiction Book Award category for his novel The Patient in Bed Number 12. The announcement was made during the curtain-raiser event of the Banaras Lit Fest on February 23 in Delhi.

Jha’s novel offers a powerful exploration of modern India, capturing the struggles of a restless, ambitious youth striving to break free from the past while grappling with lingering mistrust and division.

The Banaras Lit Fest Awards are among India’s most prestigious literary honors, recognizing outstanding contributions in poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and translation. This year’s winning books reflect the richness of Indian literature, addressing themes of identity, history, and contemporary issues with depth and insight.

In addition to the book awards, the Bhartendu Harishchandra Lifetime Achievement Award will be conferred upon renowned Hindi writer Kashinath Singh. The Banaras Lit Fest 2025, scheduled from March 7 to 9 at Hotel Taj, Banaras, will host the official award ceremony.

Festival President Deepak Madhok praised the winners for their exceptional storytelling and intellectual contributions, while Founder Brijesh Singh expressed gratitude to the jury for their rigorous selection process. The festival aims to celebrate literary excellence, bringing together authors, scholars, and enthusiasts to honor the transformative power of words.