NielsenIQ BookData, in association with the Indian Authors Forum (IAF), has unveiled 'The Bestseller Awards – India Edition', introducing an international award programme into the world of Indian books. The first edition of The Bestseller Awards will be presented at the New Delhi World Book Fair 2027, taking place on January 17, 2027 in New Delhi.

The objective behind this award scheme is to acknowledge the successful Indian authors and highlight those books which not only became bestsellers but are also able to create a strong connect with their readers. Combining book sales with public vote, the awards will mark the arrival of an award programme driven by the readers of the Indian publishing world.

The Indian version of the award follows on from NielsenIQ BookData's international success of its Bestseller Awards in the UK, entry into Italy, and its participation in South African book awards.

Book Sales and Public Voting to Select the Winning Books

Contrary to regular literary awards which focus mainly on the judgments made by literary panels, The Bestseller Awards – India Edition will have a two-step selection process.

The titles which are shortlisted will be decided on the basis of the book sales figures from the NielsenIQ BookScan database in eligible genres. Readers will then get to choose their favorites through public voting, with the winners being declared based on public votes. There will be no literary panel involved in picking up the winning titles in the competitive categories.

The procedure will enable recognition of two vital components of successful publication – book sales and readers' appreciation.

As per Vikrant Mathur, Executive Director, NielsenIQ BookData, India and GCC, this awards program marks a landmark initiative to bring to light the Indian publishing industry in terms of market intelligence and visibility.

Indian Author Categories for Different Genres

The first category will be eligible to award books written in English and Hindi by Indian authors in four main categories, including Adult Fiction, Adult Nonfiction, Children's Fiction, and Debut Author categories.

Other categories will be:

Literary and Contemporary Fiction

Crime and Thrillers

Romance and Sagas

Self Improvement

Career and Success

Hindi Fiction

Hindi Nonfiction

There will also be a Hall of Fame category for authors who have proven their ability to sell many books over the past few years.

All these categories are meant to highlight different genres and reward authors who have successfully sold their books in different genres.

Eligibility criteria & selection process

For the first iteration, eligible books need to have been published between March 1, 2016 and September 30, 2026.

The sales evaluation window shall span between March 1, 2025 and September 30, 2026. The books shall be identified using NielsenIQ BookScan numbers in terms of sales volumes, meeting the set eligibility criteria.

Following the announcement of the shortlisted books, readers shall be asked to vote for their favourite books. This voting procedure will determine the winners of the competitive category.

"Through this project, we would like to appreciate the bond that exists between an author and his/her readership. It is important to understand that sales volumes will decide which book goes into the competition but ultimately, readers will choose the winner," says Pranav Gupta, Co-Founder & Director of Indian Authors Forum.

Establishment of a Platform for Authors in the Country

This collaboration also represents the larger agenda of the Indian Authors Forum, which aims to improve the professional environment for authors, writers, researchers and other producers of knowledge.

Ankit Sahni, Co-founder and Director of Indian Authors Forum, emphasized that recognition for authors should also be extended on the basis of how much impact their works have made in terms of readership and economic and cultural value.

The alliance with NielsenIQ BookData is an effort towards establishing a recognition platform for authors.

Inaugural Ceremony Arranged for January 2027

The inaugural ceremony of The Bestseller Awards – India Edition will take place on January 17, 2027, in New Delhi along with the New Delhi World Book Fair.

Additionally, there will be a special website dedicated to the awards that will share details about categories, eligibility, shortlisted books, voting process and other information related to the event.

All the necessary information about the venue of the event, shortlist, voting process and participants will be shared in due course.

This project aims to celebrate bestselling authors and promote reading, as well as demonstrate how books evolve and interact with their audience in India every year.