Navapashanam at the Archer Amish Awards 2025 – Queen Victoria Centre, London
On 18th June 2025, my novel Navapashanam was named one of the three finalists at the Archer Amish Awards 2025, hosted by the India Global Forum at the historic Queen Victoria Centre in London. The other two finalists were Shalini Mullick with The Way Home and Yogesh Pandey with The Kill Switch. Congratulations to Shalini Mullick for her well-deserved win. A huge thanks to Manoj Ladwa, founder of IGF for this grand platform.
Panel Discussion Hosted by Nisha Pillai
Before the award ceremony, we participated in a vibrant panel discussion hosted by renowned anchor Nisha Pillai. We spoke about our writing journeys, what our books meant to us, and what it would mean to win the Archer Amish Awards 2025. The audience included readers, publishing professionals, library directors and directors scouting for book-to-screen adaptations.
Meeting Lord Jeffrey Archer and Amish Tripathi
Although Yogesh Pandey couldn’t attend due to a technical glitch, Shalini Mullick and I had the privilege of meeting Lord Jeffrey Archer and Amish Tripathi in person. Lord Archer was as razor-sharp and witty as ever – his humour and energy at his age are truly inspiring. Amish Tripathi was humility personified: warm, grounded and approachable. Later that evening at the hotel, Amish told me, “Your book was also brilliant. Don’t ever stop writing.” That single moment felt like a personal win.
Networking with Publishing & Film Professionals
The India Global Forum and Archer Amish Awards also provided the perfect platform to network with key figures from the publishing world, library directors, book scouts, and film directors interested in book-to-movie adaptations. The atmosphere was electric with ideas, creativity and opportunities.
Recognition Beyond the Award
While Navapashanam didn’t take home the trophy, hearing Jeffrey Archer and Amish Tripathi say that all three books were “page-turners” and that it was difficult to pick a winner was beyond thrilling. For me, that validation from two legendary authors was as meaningful as winning the award itself.
Gratitude and Congratulations
I’m deeply grateful for this experience, the conversations, and the encouragement to keep creating stories that bridge mythology and contemporary life. Congratulations once again to Shalini Mullick for her win – and thank you to everyone who has supported Navapashanam on its journey to the Archer Amish Awards 2025.
