Manjula Padmanabhan wins 2024 Sushila Devi Award for her novel ‘Taxi’
She will receive a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh at the Bhopal Literature and Art Festival in January 2025.
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The Bhopal Literature and Art Festival has awarded the 2024 Sushila Devi Award to Manjula Padmanabhan. The award is given annually for the best book of fiction writer by a woman author. Padmanabhan will receive a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh at the festival in January 2025.
This year’s jury – chaired by Malashri Lal and comprising GJV Prasad and Sukrita Paul Kumar – selected Taxi by Manjula Padmanabhan as the winner.
The novel tells the story of Maddy Sen, a US-educated, independent-minded woman taxi driver breaking societal stereotypes. The plot takes a turn when Maddy is asked to dress as a male chauffeur for a wealthy client. Padmanabhan delves into issues of cross-dressing, gendered public spaces and societal assumptions about women.
The jury said about the book, “Manjula Padmanabhan’s Taxi eloquently addresses contemporary social challenges while keeping readers captivated through its brisk pace and nuanced storytelling. It’s a testament to the power of fiction to question and illuminate societal norms.”
The Festival will be held from January 31 to February 2, 2025.
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