The Insider, penned by former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao is among the 21 entries received for the Rs two lakh `Crossword Award.

The nominations will be shortlisted to five on October 15 by a panel of eminent judges, stated a release of the Crossword book chain. The award will be presented on November 15. The award was conceived for the best work of fiction by an Indian writer in English to `encourage the highly endangered habit of reading', the release added.

Works published since September 1997 have been considered for the award. A River with Three Banks by Professor Shiv K Kumar, the Hyderabad-based scholar of English literature, is among the nominations.