Interlochen, Michigan, USA: The Interlochen Centre for the Arts has named Indian-origin writers Parul Kapur and Dipika Mukherjee among the finalists for the 2025 Pattis Family Foundation Creative Arts Book Award, a prestigious honour carrying a $25,000 prize recognising literary excellence in the creative arts. The award winner will be announced in December 2025.
Parul Kapur, originally from Assam and currently residing in Atlanta, has been shortlisted for her debut novel Inside the Mirror, published by the University of Nebraska Press in 2024. Set in 1950s Bombay, the novel follows Jaya Malhotra, a young painter and medical student, as she navigates familial expectations, gender roles, and the rise of India’s modern art movement after independence. The novel has already earned significant acclaim, including the AWP Prize for the Novel and the 2025 Georgia Author of the Year Award.
Kapur’s story delves into themes of ambition, identity, and women’s self-expression in a newly independent India. It explores the intertwined lives of twin sisters, Jaya and Kamlesh, whose differing journeys reflect broader questions of art, class, and freedom.
Also among the finalists is Dipika Mukherjee, a Malaysia-born author based in Chicago, recognised for her essay collection Writer’s Postcards. The book merges memoir, travel writing, and cultural criticism, with essays spanning diverse regions—from Brazil’s literary traditions and Myanmar’s political struggles to reflections on identity in the Netherlands and Chicago’s literary landscape.
Mukherjee, who teaches at the University of Chicago’s Graham School and StoryStudio Chicago, examines how geography, language, and belonging shape personal and collective identity. Her writing has been described as insightful, bold, and deeply reflective of global cultural intersections.
“The calibre and diversity of entries this year were truly exceptional,” said Eric Blackburn, Chair of the Selection Committee and Dean of Academics at Interlochen Arts Academy. “Our finalists explore creative expression across fields like jazz, theatre, literature, painting, and papermaking — all demonstrating the transformative power of the arts.”
The award recipient will receive $25,000 and participate in a residency program at Interlochen Arts Academy from April 8–10, 2026, culminating in a public event in Traverse City, part of the National Writers Series.
Launched in 2023, the Pattis Family Foundation Creative Arts Book Award celebrates fiction and nonfiction works that illuminate the creative process across multiple artistic disciplines, including music, theatre, visual arts, and literature.
