I’m so honored to have won the 2025 Sushila Devi Award for LOKA. This is wonderfully unexpected news to finish out the year!
This was not an easy book for me to finish due to my struggles with Long Covid and ME/CFS, and the main character also has a debilitating chronic illness, so it’s especially meaningful to have it recognized.
The jurors had some very kind words to say:
Created within the genre of speculative fiction, the characters retain human traits of empathy and compassion even within a society dominated by technology. “Loka”, as a version of “Earth” contains much that is unknowable, yet it is realistic, and presented convincingly. The human species has evolved into post-human forms where “Alloys” are in control, nevertheless concepts of love and friendship still hold their own. In such science fiction, there is transformation in consciousness and philosophy in a technology-driven world. In all, S.B. Divya presents an amazing and laudable blend of fantasy and humanism, with some memorable scenes of outer space. An outstanding work of fiction, the jury members unanimously selected Loka as the winner.
I’m deeply grateful to the Bhopal Literature & Art Festival and Shri Ratanlal Foundation for the award. Thank you also to the team at Hachette India and to Cameron McClure for supporting the book!