Celebrated Indian and diaspora authors, poets and personalities are coming together online and in-person for an annual week-long literary festival during which they will share stories of the Indian experience and ethos with the world.
Renowned arts and cultural organisation, The Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC), on Monday kicked off the 8th edition of its annual literary festival, beginning with conversations with Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi.
"IAAC's Literary Festival showcases writers who bring stories of the Indian experience and ethos to the world. Even as they set new standards of literary excellence, they excite our imagination and shape humanity's future through their thought leadership, IAAC Vice Chairman Rakesh Kaul said in a statement, adding that festival attendees will become part of extraordinary conversations.
The week-long festival, running from November 7-13 here, will include notable speakers such as Indian-born British chef Asma Khan, Michelin-star chef Vikas Khanna, actress, dancer, and choreographer Rukmini Vijayakumar, Priya Kumari, and Raza Mir.
The online event will also include a dedicated Children's Literary Panel which will showcase readings of When Blackbirds Fly by Hannah Lalhlanpuii and Jamlo Walks by Samina Mishra.
IAAC said the in-person event will be an intense two-day immersive experience featuring thought-provoking conversations, readings, and discussions of stories told by courageous authors .
Each of the 27 authors' skills and expertise cover a wide range of civilisational and cultural topics including archeology, design, dance, history, compassion, wonder, and the culinary arts. The festival will wrap up with a gala on November 13.
The in-person lineup includes works such as "Tomb of Sand: A Novel" by Geetanjali Shree, translated by Daisy Rockwell that won the prestigious International Booker Prize this year; "[Block] Chain Reaction - The Future of How We Live and Work" by Elizebeth Varghese; "Tata's Leadership Experiment: The Story of the Tata Administrative Service" by Bharat Wakhlu, Mukund Rajan, Sonu Bhasin; "TO HELL AND BACK: Humans of COVID" by media personality Barkha Dutt; "A Country Called Childhood: A Memoir" by actor Deepti Naval and "KALA - Essays on Contemporary Design Aesthetics" edited by Padma Shri Sunita Kohli.
IAAC will also host a live Poetry Panel headlining Arundhathi Subramaniam and moderated by poetry curator Dr. Ravi Shankar.
"At IAAC, we pride ourselves on our ability to seek out and find foundational storytellers who are not only noteworthy for their skill with language but whose seminal works also weave remarkable narratives that shape the world around them. This year is no exception; I have had the privilege to work with a dedicated team of literature lovers whose hard work and energy made this festival possible, said Preethi Urs," Literary Festival Director, IAAC.
PTI
