Nobel Prize in Literature to Be Announced Today: Indian-Origin Salman Rushdie, Japan’s Haruki Murakami Among Frontrunners; Winner to Receive ₹10 Crore

The laureate will receive 11 million Swedish kronor (approximately ₹10.3 crore), along with a gold medal and a certificate. If the prize is shared, the amount will be divided among the winners. The award ceremony is scheduled for December 10 in Stockholm.

Top Contenders for the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature

According to The Guardian, citing betting agency Ladbrokes, the following five authors are among this year’s frontrunners:

• Haruki Murakami (Japan): Celebrated for his surreal and magical storytelling in works such as Kafka on the Shore.
• Salman Rushdie (India/UK): The Indian-born author best known for Midnight’s Children, which intertwines history and imagination.
• Can Xue (China): Known for her experimental fiction; her novel Love in the New Millennium was shortlisted for the 2019 Man Booker International Prize.
• László Krasznahorkai (Hungary): Recognized for his dark, philosophical novels like Satántangó and The Melancholy of Resistance.
• Margaret Atwood (Canada): Acclaimed for The Handmaid’s Tale and her focus on gender and social justice.

Alex Apati of Ladbrokes told The Guardian that this year’s race is “extremely close.” Last year, Can Xue was considered the favorite, but the prize ultimately went to South Korean author Han Kang for The Vegetarian and Human Acts.

How the Announcement Will Be Made

The Swedish Academy will declare the winner live from its session hall in Stockholm, presenting details about the author’s achievements and literary impact.
The announcement can be viewed live on nobelprize.org, YouTube, and other official Nobel social media channels.

About the Nobel Prize in Literature

The Nobel Prizes, founded in 1895 by Swedish scientist and inventor Alfred Bernhard Nobel, were first awarded in 1901 in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature, and Peace. The Economics prize was introduced later.

From 1901 to 2024, 121 writers have received the Nobel Prize in Literature. The nomination process remains confidential for 50 years in accordance with Nobel’s will

Past Winners

• Rabindranath Tagore (1913): The first Asian and non-European writer to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature for Gitanjali, a collection of poems reflecting on life, nature, and spirituality.
• Han Kang (2024): The first South Korean author to win the prize, honored for her deeply moving works that explore human fragility and historical tragedy in poetic prose.