Culture2 min
Ramnath Goenka Sahithya Samman 2026: Why Books Still Matter in Argumentative India
A jury member for the 2026 award argues that books slow readers down, challenge settled views, and deserve a louder place in India's public debate.
A member of the jury for the 2026 Ramnath Goenka Sahithya Samman has used a new essay to make the case for books in a noisy age. Writing in The New Indian Express, the juror says that the award, named after the newspaper proprietor whose legacy is tied to the history of Indian journalism, exists to honour writing that broadens how readers see the world.
The core argument is simple: books do something other media rarely manage. They slow readers down, invite them into someone else's head, and sometimes make them rethink beliefs they have held for years. The juror suggests that a strong book may not hand you neat answers. Its real gift might be leaving you with sharper questions, which is exactly the kind of reading experience a literary prize should reward.
The essay surveys the shortlist across fiction, non-fiction and debut writing. Fiction, the juror notes, lets writers explore inner lives and the bonds between people and their surroundings, often capturing parts of society that formal reports overlook. Non-fiction, by contrast, depends on judgment: deciding which facts matter, which connections explain a subject, and why a particular event belongs to a larger story.
Debut work gets special attention. A first book does not have to be flawless to matter, the juror argues. Freshness of vision, bold questions and a glimpse of what a writer might do next can be just as valuable. For readers, debuts are often where the next important voices first appear.
India's history and public life get a central place in the discussion too. History, the essay argues, is an argument built on evidence, and scholars can read the same period in very different ways. Progress comes from testing interpretations against sources and being willing to revise familiar accounts. No single discipline, ideology or individual owns the national story, and disagreement is healthy as long as it rests on seriousness and respect for evidence.
The juror also draws a link between writing books and practising journalism. Both rely on curiosity, a readiness to question received wisdom and the discipline to follow the evidence. For a country that is as diverse as India, that shared commitment may be the best defence against lazy certainty. For readers, the message is practical: pick up a book that unsettles you, and give it the time it asks for. You can read the full essay at The New Indian Express.
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