The
Sneh Lata Prize
For Building a Culture of Reading
Sneh Lata
Sneh Lata
Sneh Lata spent her life fighting for something deceptively simple: the right of every Indian child to discover the joy of reading. She understood that reading is not merely a skill but the foundation of all learning - and that a child who reads widely and joyfully is a child who will never stop growing.
She worked tirelessly to build reading cultures in schools, train teachers to become ambassadors of books, and ensure that libraries were not dusty rooms but living, breathing centres of curiosity and imagination.
Why This Award Exists
For Those Who Put Books in Children's Hands
Sneh Lata's conviction was simple: a child who loves to read will learn everything else. The Sneh Lata Prize honours educators who share that conviction - and who have done the work of building reading cultures in their schools, communities, and students.
This award goes to an educator who has made reading a living, joyful part of school life - not as a subject, but as a culture.
2025 Awardee
Swati Roy
Swati Roy has dedicated her career to a single, beautiful mission: connecting children with books. As the Festival Director and Co-Founder of Bookaroo - India's largest children's literature festival - she has created a platform that has brought millions of children face-to-face with the joy of reading.
Bookaroo is not merely an event. It is a movement - one that has changed how children, parents, and educators across India think about books, stories, and the role of reading in a child's life.
Words of Honour
"Swati Roy has done something remarkable: she has made reading feel like a celebration. The Sneh Lata Prize honours a champion who has expanded the universe of Indian children by filling it with books, stories, and the irreplaceable joy of a child who has fallen in love with reading."- ScooNews Memorial Awards Jury, 2025
Award Ceremony - 2025
Moments from the inaugural ScooNews Memorial Awards at Global Ed-Fest 2025, Jaipur.
Know a Worthy Nominee?
Nominate an educator who has built a genuine culture of reading - someone who has helped children fall in love with books.