AWARDS

Chitra Divakaruni’s work has been included in the Best American Short Stories, The O’Henry Prize Stories, and two Pushcart Prize Anthologies. Her book of short stories, Arranged Marriage,  won an American Book Award, the Bay Area Book Reviewers Award and the PEN Josephine Miles Award for fiction. The Mistress of Spices was on several Best Books lists, including the San Francisco Chronicle’s 100 Best Books of the 20th Century, and was shortlisted for the Orange Prize (currently known as the Women’s Prize for Fiction).

chitra at convocation.jpg

BELOW IS A PARTIAL LIST OF HER AWARDS:

  • FICCI (Federation of India’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry) Award for Best Fiction, for The Last Queen, 2022.

  • Times of India Best Fiction Award (AutHer Awards) 2022 for The Last Queen.

  • International Association of Working Women, Best Book Award, for The Last Queen, 2022.

  • Houston Literary Award, 2019.

  • Outstanding Alumna, Wright State University, 2012. 

  • Light of India Award, Times of India, 2011.

  • Cultural Jewel Award, Indian Culture Center, Houston, 2009

  • University of California at Berkeley, International House Alumna of the Year, 2008

  • South Asian Literary Association Distinguished Author Award, 2007

  • Blubonnet List 2004, The Conch Bearer

  • Best Books of 2003 List, Publishers Weekly, The Conch Bearer

  • O’Henry Prize Stories Anthology, “The Lives of Strangers,” 2003

  • Pushcart Prize, 2003.

  •  Best Books of 2002 List, Los Angeles Times, The Vine of Desire

  • Best Books of 2002 List, San Francisco Chronicle, The Vine of Desire

  • “Mrs. Dutta Writes a Letter” included in Best American Short Stories, 1999

  • Best Paperbacks of 1998 List, Seattle Times, The Mistress of Spices

  • Mistress of Spices shortlisted for the California Arts Council Award, 1998

  • Best Books of 1997 List, Los Angeles Times, The Mistress of Spices

  • American Book Award, 1996, for Arranged Marriage

  • PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Award, 1996, for Arranged Marriage

  • Bay Area Book Reviewers Award, Best Fiction, 1996, for Arranged Marriage

  • C.Y. Lee Creative Writing Award, 1995

  • Allen Ginsberg Poetry Prize, 1994 for poems from Leaving Yuba City

  • Pushcart Prize, 1994, for "The Walk," from Leaving Yuba CIty

  • 2 Pen Syndicated Fiction Awards, 1993 and 1994

  • Gerbode Foundation Award, California, 1992 for Leaving Yuba City

  • Honorable mention, Paterson Poetry Prize, 1992, for Black Candle

  • Santa Clara Arts Council Award, California 1990, 1994

  • Editor’s Choice Award, Cream City Review, 1990

  • Barbara Deming Memorial Award, New York, 1989

  • The Hackney Literary award, Birmingham-Southern College, Alabama, 1988