Honoring Salman Rushdie The 2025 Champion of Writers Award Recipient Share on Twitter (opens in a new tab) on Facebook (opens in a new tab) on Linkedin (opens in a new tab) via email Salman Rushdie is the author of 25 books, including Midnight’s Children (for which he won the Booker Prize and the Best of the Booker), Shame, The Satanic Verses, The Moor’s Last Sigh, and Quichotte, all of which have been shortlisted for the Booker Prize; a collection of stories, East, West; a memoir, Joseph Anton; a work of reportage, The Jaguar Smile; and three collections of essays, including Languages of Truth. His most recent book, Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder, was a finalist for the 2024 National Book Award for Nonfiction. His many awards include the Whitbread Prize for Best Novel, which he won twice; the PEN/Allen Foundation Literary Service Award; the National Arts Award; the French Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger; the European Union’s Aristeion Prize for Literature; the Budapest Grand Prize for Literature; and the Italian Premio Grinzane Cavour. In 2007, he was awarded a Knighthood for services to literature and was made a Companion of Honour in 2022. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and a commandeur de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is a former president of PEN America and the recipient of the PEN Centenary Courage Award. His books have been translated into over forty languages. In 2023, he was awarded the Friedenspreis des deutschen Buchhandels and named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People of the Year. About the Champion of Writers Award The Champion of Writers Award is presented by the Authors Guild Foundation to honor an individual from the general public who has shown exceptional dedication and support for the literary community. This award recognizes those who have made significant contributions to the promotion and advocacy of writers’ rights, fostered a love for literature, and supported initiatives that enhance the professional and creative lives of authors. The recipient of this award exemplifies a true passion for literature and has played a vital role in championing the cause of writers and their work. Salman Rushdie embodies the spirit of the Champion of Writers Award through his extraordinary dedication to defending writers and free expression. As one of the most celebrated authors of our time, Rushdie’s literary brilliance is matched only by his unwavering advocacy for creative freedom and his courageous stand against censorship. Despite enduring profound personal risks, he has become a global symbol of resilience, inspiring countless writers to raise their voices fearlessly. Beyond his own acclaimed works, including his latest, Knife, Rushdie has been a tireless supporter of initiatives that protect writers at risk, combat censorship, and uphold the universal right to free expression. His lifelong commitment to literature as a force for societal transformation and his leadership in championing writers’ rights have profoundly impacted the literary community and the broader cultural landscape. Rushdie’s courage, advocacy, and enduring legacy as a defender of writers and free expression make him a fitting recipient of this prestigious honor.
