Indian author Neha Dixit shortlisted for 2025 Moore Prize for human rights writing

London, Nov 12 (PTI) Indian author Neha Dixit is among four international authors shortlisted for the 2025 Moore Prize for human rights writing in London on Wednesday.

Dixit’s ‘The Many Lives of Syeda X’ has been selected for its portrayal of the “intersecting injustices that define the lives of women in India” to capture how “resilience and identity persist in the face of structural power”. The winner of the 1,000-pounds prize will be unveiled on January 7, 2026.

“In a year when human rights have been systematically violated and the suffering of individuals too often reduced to statistics, we are reminded of the vital role that literature plays in restoring the human face to injustice,” said Christopher G Moore, founder of the foundation behind the prize.

“Books remain among the few instruments capable of bearing witness to lives lived under repression – of giving voice to those silenced, disappeared, or forgotten. The shortlisted titles for this year’s Moore Prize exemplify that moral courage. Each work speaks in its own register, yet all share a common purpose: to illuminate what happens when the protections of human rights are eroded and the boundaries of conscience are tested,” he said.

‘Daughters of the Bamboo Grove – China’s Stolen Children and a Story of Separated Twins’ by Barbara Demick, ‘Looking at Women Looking at War – A War and Justice Diary’ by Victoria Amelina and ‘Prosecuting the Powerful – War Crimes and the Battle for Justice’ by Steve Crawshaw complete this year’s shortlist.

They span from the gripping story of separated twins and the impact of China’s one-child policy to the horrific consequences of the war in Ukraine and a compelling history of the prosecution of war crimes. Dixit’s work stands out as a “searing account of a life lived under constant, corrosive tension in the world’s most populous nation”.

“These four books stood out for many reasons. All are strong, compelling narratives that portray their subjects not as victims, but as people in all their complexity, living their lives through tremendous challenges,” the judging panel of the 2025 prize said.

“They are inspirational in the way they address the challenges, and show the resilience of human spirit. They are highly credible, extensively researched and empathetically written. All illustrate human rights issues and inequalities that have broader relevance with injustices across the world.

“Together, these books remind us of the fragility of personal freedom and the moral imagination required to defend it. Their work stands as testimony that even in an age of surveillance, censorship, and fear, truth can still be told — and heard,” they said.

Chosen from 70 worldwide submissions, the books have been described as outstanding in their coverage of human rights concerns in today's world as they are “compelling in their poignancy, excellence in writing and unique approach”.

This year's jury included investigative journalist and author Clare Hammond, Director of Human Rights Watch Asia Elaine Pearson and Dr Dainius Pūras, professor of child and adolescent psychiatry and public mental health at Vilnius University.

The Moore Prize was established in 2015 to provide funds and recognition to authors who, through their work, contribute to the universality of human rights and to give a platform to human rights issues that are important in today’s societies.

It is awarded annually, as chosen by a panel of judges whose own work focuses on human rights. PTI AK SCY SCY