Speakers from 8 countries to participate in Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival

The 10th edition of Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival will see the participation of writers, poets and dignitaries from China, Italy, France, Australia, Singapore, USA, UK and Pakistan, alongside noted names from Indian literary circles.

Scheduled to take place from January 18 to 20 next year, it will feature Andrew Sean Greer, Pulitzer winner for Fiction 2018; Ira Mukhoty, known for her feminist writing; Devdutt Pattanaik, mythology expert and author; Ramchandra Guha, historian; Ravinder Singh, Young Adult author; Upamanyu Chatterjee, celebrated writer; Ravish Kumar, journalist, Poet and author; along with veteran Bollywood actor Naseeruddin Shah.

"Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival (AKLF) has connected, empowered and mobilised new voices and ideas since its inception in 2010. In the last nine years, the festival has contributed greatly to restoring Kolkata's literary edge, a distinct and valued identity, I felt, at the time, it was losing.

"AKLF has developed as the fountainhead of the mission we pursue 365 days at Oxford Bookstores - of books, reading, literature, writers, publishers, building readership, creating awareness and attraction for the world of books and popularising the whole gamut that goes with books and publishing," said Priti Paul, Director, Apeejay Surrendra Group.

Novelist of the much acclaimed "All The Lives We Never Lived" Anuradha Roy; former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah; and Sahitya Akademi winner Jerry Pinto will also be participating.

They will be joined by Ashwin Sanghi, Rajmohan Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor, Shobhaa De, and Ratna Pathak Shah. AKLF 2019 will focus on health, current affairs, women's issues, and children's literature among other themes.

The 10th edition of the festival will be held in Park Street's iconic spaces giving everyone an opportunity to (re)visit, admire and enjoy their tangible and intangible heritage.

--IANS

ss/vm