Music and Youth
‘A Suitable Boy’ audio book bags 2 golden Spoken Words
MUMBAI: BBC’s audiobook of Vikram Seth’s novel A Suitable Boy has won two Gold Awards at the 2002 Spoken Words Awards scheme.
It was the only audiobook to win two gold awards, one for drama and the other for best production, states an official release.
Written by Vikram Seth, A Suitable Boy is an epic tale of India during the turbulent period following independence and partition. The audio book was recorded by BBC Audiobooks with an all-Indian cast.
“Audiobooks are a wonderful way of experiencing literary masterpieces. In the UK they are well on their way to the heart of mainstream entertainment and I think the audiobook of Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy may bring spoken word audio to new audiences in India,” BBC Worldwide Head of Africa and South Asia, Monisha Shah is quoted as saying in the release.
BBC Audiobooks raked in 16 more awards in all, including the Gold Award for Publisher of the Year. Other BBC titles winning an award were Goon Again, Dinnerladies 2, Elizabeth, The Century Speaks, Ruby in the Smoke, Our Mutual Friend, Dead Ringers: The Specials, The Amber Spyglass, Snail Eggs and Samphire, Les Miserables, Hymn, Artemis Fowl, The Dalek’s Masterplan and Talking It Over.
The Awards are run by the Spoken Word Publishing Association and are judged by a panel of independent experts, including journalists, producers, writers and retailers.
A Suitable Boy was the second novel by Calcutta-born Seth, who studied philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford University and Stanford University. The novel was widely acclaimed and became an international bestseller.
MUMBAI: Mumbai is about to witness something it has never seen before. The Global Youth Festival arrives on 6-7 December at Jio World Garden with 15,000 attendees and 60-plus experiences sprawled across six sprawling arenas. On its sixth edition, this is no ordinary jamboree—it is a carefully orchestrated collision of wellness, adventure, arts, music, yoga and social change.
Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis will throw open the proceedings with a landmark ceremony, signalling the state’s backing for a movement that has already mobilised youth across 20-plus countries and 170-plus cities. The sheer scale is staggering: 500-plus volunteers powering the machine, 600,000-plus volunteer hours logged across previous editions, and millions of lives touched annually.
The speaker roster is formidable. Diipa Büller-Khosla and Dipali Goenka, chief executive of Welspun India, will share the stage with Malaika Arora in conversations spanning leadership, creativity and culture. Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Mansukhbhai Mandaviya will also attend, reinforcing GYF’s reach into the corridors of power.
But this is not mere talk. The Solaris Mainstage promises concerts from renowned Indian artists. Innerverse delivers a 360-degree LED spectacle of art, technology and sound. The Love and Care Arena houses hands-on projects spanning women’s empowerment, child education, rural upliftment and animal welfare. India’s largest outdoor sound-healing experience awaits. An inflatable obstacle course, neon drifter karts and open-sky bouldering cater to thrill-seekers.
Some have branded GYF the “Coachella of Consciousness.” Others call it “India’s Largest Sober Festival.” Spiritual visionary Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji, who inspired the festival, will deliver the Wisdom Masterclass. Every rupee goes to charity.
After Mumbai comes Kolkata on 14 December. New York looms next year. For one weekend in December, Mumbai becomes the epicentre of youth-driven change—and nothing will be quite the same after.
Tickets available on BookMyShow. Visit youthfestival.srmd.org or follow @globalyouthfestival on Instagram.
