Literature must represent diverse voices, more so in a world at a dangerous crossroads, an author who broke a glass ceiling said at the opening of Calcutta’s annual date with books and ideas.
Bernardine Evaristo, who won the Booker Prize 2019 with her eighth book, Girl, Woman, Other, inaugurated on Tuesday the Coal India Kolkata Literary Meet 2025, in association with The Telegraph.
“This is a very interesting time in our world. We know what happened yesterday. Now, more than ever, writers are so crucial in exploring the world from multiple perspectives. This is something that I have been committed to as a writer and also as a literary activist for a very long time now,” Evaristo said in her opening speech.
“It is really important that the literature that gets out there into the world represents multiple viewpoints, multiple worldviews, experiences and demographics. Because, at the moment, the way the world is moving, we are moving towards a point of view that could potentially be very damaging for all of us. So, it is great that we are here to celebrate writers from different places,” she said before signing the inaugural canvas.
Evaristo is the first black woman and black British person to win the Booker Prize. The author of essays, literary criticism, poetry and drama, her other books include the novels Mr Loverman, Blonde Roots, Lara and The Emperor’s Babe and two non-fiction books — Manifesto: On Never Giving Up and Look Again: Feminism.
She has won several awards and her books have been translated into over 40 languages. She has set up many inclusion programmes for writers.
This is Evaristo’s third trip to India. She visited Chennai and Delhi in 2006 and the Jaipur Literature Festival two years ago.
“I would like to thank the festival for inviting me and also thank the sponsor for sponsoring the festival. Literature festivals need sponsors. I am somebody who has appeared at hundreds of festivals.... I find them a wonderful gathering space for writers and readers and critics and academics...” said Evaristo.
In its 13th edition, the festival has moved to the lawns of the Agri-Horticultural Society of India in Alipore. The earlier editions were held at the Victoria Memorial.
“We are delighted to welcome authors from all over the world. I would like to thank each of you for coming to my city to speak about your books and ideas,” said festival director Malavika Banerjee.
The opening session featured Francesc Miralles, co-author of the global bestseller Ikigai, who was in conversation with Ruchira Das, director, Arts India at the British Council.
Miralles said he started as a translator and publisher in Barcelona, Spain. “I did not like the politics in office. I was lost. I did what many Westerners do when they are lost. I came to India. I spent 45 days here and wrote my first book here,” said Miralles.