Brown Girl Bookshelf | Book bCreator of the Year 2025

Brown Girl Bookshelf began as a simple exchange of book recommendations between friends, Mishika and Srisruthi, but it has since grown into a large online community celebrating South Asian literature and storytelling.

In this conversation, the founders reflect on the origins of their mission, the books that have stayed with them this year, and their vision for the next wave of Book creators.
They also share what it meant to be recognised as Book bCreator of the Year in October 2025, and why championing diverse stories remains at the heart of what they do.

Mishika and Srisruthi with their Award on the red carpet. Captured by Zoe Griffin.

bCreator: You’ve championed underrepresented voices in literature, what inspired that mission?

BGB: Brown Girl Bookshelf began as two friends swapping book recommendations and realising how rarely we saw our own experiences reflected in the stories we loved. We wanted to change that. Over time, what started as a small Instagram page became a space for readers and writers across the world who were hungry for the same thing: stories that capture the complexity of South Asian identity in all its joy, tension, and tenderness. People weren’t just looking for book recs; they were looking for somewhere their story belonged. That realisation, that we were building a community, not just a platform, became the heart of BGB’s mission.

bCreator: What has been the best book you’ve read this year and why?

BGB: Searches by Vauhini Vara has stayed with us the most. It’s an intimate, witty, formally inventive novel about technology, society, and grief. Vara explores the impact of technology on our society over decades and how we coexist with digital convenience and now, AI, while reckoning with what’s lost in the process: our attention spans, authentic connections, economic equity, and our natural resources. Yet that same technology also enables us to create, connect, and, in Vara’s case, to make sense of loss when words fail. She strikes exceptionally hard balances: being critical without judgment, wry and sincere, and earnestly self-reflective without suggesting she has all the answers.

Srisruthi and Mishika on stage accepting their Award. Captured by Kaye Ford.

bCreator: How do you choose which titles to highlight for your community?

BGB: We feature books across all genres by South Asian writers. Because our own reading preferences naturally lean toward certain genres, we created a community reviewer program to broaden the range of voices and books we highlight. It’s been such a great way to make our bookshelf more representative of the full range of South Asian-authored books. Even then, we know we can’t read everything, so we’re always thinking about new ways to highlight titles beyond formal reviews.

bCreator: What’s your vision for the next generation of literary creators online?

BGB: We hope the next generation uses social media not just to read for numbers or trends, but for discovery: to read with intention, especially those longer, richer books. Escapist reading will always have its place; we turn to it too. But we also hope readers make room for the kinds of books that spark curiosity, empathy, and deeper conversation. Some of the most daring, imaginative work we’ve read lately has come from smaller or independent presses, like Amma by Saraid de Silva. Our hope is that readers continue to look beyond the most visible titles, because (for us) that’s often where the most lasting discoveries are found.

bCreator: How did it feel when you were announced as Book bCreator of the Year?

BGB: It was such a wonderful surprise! We went into the weekend thinking it would be a chance to get dressed up and meet other creators. When our names were called, it felt surreal. For a moment, it was just the two of us on stage, taking it all in as the audience blended into a foggy cloud.

It was incredibly meaningful to thank the readers, writers, and collaborators who’ve supported us from the start, as well as our loved ones. This award wasn’t just a milestone for BGB; it was a reminder that our shared love of books has grown into something bigger — a powerful validation that South Asian stories deserve recognition, celebration, and a stage of their own.

A big thanks to Mishika and Srisruthi for participating in our winner interview series. You can find Brown Girl Bookshelf’s Substack here.

Nominations for the ITV bCreator Awards 2026 will be opening soon. Subscribe for updates!