Designer Bena Sareen has been announced the winner of the 11th edition of the Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize for creating the book jacket of author Amitava Kumar’s “My Beloved Life”.
The winner, announced at a celebratory event held at the India Habitat Centre (IHC) on Tuesday, was felicitated with a trophy, certificate, and a one-lakh rupees cash prize from art historian and jury chair Alka Pande, author-politician Shashi Tharoor, Ambassador of Norway to India May-Elin Stener and Priti Paul, director of Apeejay Surrendra Group, among others.
“A heartfelt thanks to the Oxford Bookstore and this incredibly distinguished jury for recognising and celebrating this art form… I would like to take this opportunity to thank Aleph Book Company for trusting my aesthetics over the years.
“Many thanks to Amitav Kumar for bringing the joy in the creation process of this cover with his fantastic novel. I’m honoured and thrilled to be the recipient of the 11th award,” Sareen said in her address.
The prize marks Sareen’s second win. She previously won the inaugural edition for her cover design of “Talking of Justice” by Leila Seth, also published by Aleph Book Company.
“This prize continues to shape and elevate the Indian publishing industry by recognizing book cover design as a masterful art form and honours its creative visionaries, who remained largely invisible despite their profound influence on how stories are perceived and remembered.
“My heartfelt congratulations to Bena Sareen for taking home the prize yet again; a truly well-deserved victory after almost a decade,” said jury chair Alka Pande. (PTI)
