SHILLONG, Nov 13: As part of the 50th Statehood celebrations this year, the second edition of the Literary Festival seeks to celebrate, commemorate and reflect on cultural heritage, health and wellness, and ways to support and inspire children and youth.
The festival will be organised at Wards’ Lake from November 21 to 23.
Like the first edition, it will continue to converse, dialogue, share, listen and engage through stories, language, literature, poetry, and the many intersections with living cultures and the environment.
The programme will begin with a tribute to Temsula Ao (1945 – 2022).
With over eighty authors and speakers this year, this edition of the festival boasts of authors, academics, researchers, institutional heads, subject experts, journalists, storytellers, creative practitioners, publishers, literary agents, editors, translators and booklovers from the city, as part of the three day programme.
The authors include Anurag Basnet, Aparna Piramal Raje, Ashutosh Salil, Badaplin War, Barkha Mathur, Bhogtoram Mawroh, Canato Jimo, Christopher Kloeble, Chuden Kabimo, Daisy Hasan, Easterine Kire, Esther Syiem, Glenn C Kharkongor, Ian Lyngdoh, Iffat Nawaz, Jerry Pinto, Kanishka Gupta, Karishma Upadhyay, Mamang Dai, Marco B Mitri, Mayumi Murayama, Nathaniel D N Majaw, Nilanjana Roy, Parimal Bhattacharya, Patricia Mukhim, Preeti Gill, Sanjoy Hazarika, Saskya Jain, Sayoni Basu, Shrayana Bhattacharya, Theyiesinuo Keditsu, Uddipana Goswami, Vidya Krishnan, and Vikram Sampath.
These authors, from across the state, country and elsewhere, are at the heart of the programme writing on a range of subjects and genres including fiction and non-fiction, health, history, archaeology, politics, relationships, architecture, heritage, food, environment, biographies, sports and more.
The festival includes a book section that will host book shops and publications from across the state with Ri Khasi Bookshop and the Tura Book Room, an interactive Kiosk by Amar Chitra Katha, literary fiction and non-fiction and a range of children’s books by several book shops, and publications by the Martin Luther Christian University and NESFAS (North East Slow Food & Agrobiodiversity Society). There will also be a range of cafés, traditional food and beverage kiosks, as well as a Maker’s Market section.
Moreover, institutional heads from International Cultural and Contemporary Art and Academic Centres will also join to explore ways to collaborate. There will be a panel that examines how culture is reported, another on how research translates into books for the general public, a session on how we tell stories to children, and much more…
On day one, Rahul Bose will talk on the films he has worked on based on books!
He will also be present on the second day of the programme to speak on Sports – on being a sportsperson and on leadership and policy. The second day will end with a screening of Dominic Sangma’s award winning short film Rong’Kuchak (Echoes).
On the final day, Meghalaya’s very own ‘little mama Tips’ Tipriti Kharbangar will close the festival on a very special line up titled “TIPRITI” (to know your customs and tradition) songs derived from the Khasi culture that she will sing accompanied by musicians both traditional and contemporary.
The speakers will include Abhishek Choudhur, Adelia Nongbri, Adity Choudhury, Anja Riedeberger, Annalisa Mansukhani, Anumitra Ghosh Dastidar, Anurag Banerjee, Anurag Basnet, Baiarphang Syiem, Cheryl Rynjah , Chitra Ahanthem, Daiarisa Rumnong, Daisy Hasan, Dominic Sangma, Dominic Savio Deingdoh, Elyon Blah, Hasina Kharbhih, Ibankyntiew Mawrie, Isawanda Laloo, Jasmine Lyngdoh, Jemimah Marak, Julie Sun Wahlang , Junisha Khongwir, Kanishka Gupta, Keshav Pariat, Krithika Nair, Lapdiang Syiem, Longnam Kharpuri, Mandakini Gahlot, Mary Therese Kurkalang, Michelle Syiemlieh, Nandini Oberoi, Premanka Goswami, Priyadarshini Gauri, Ram Kumar S, Ritoparna Hazra, Rohit Dwivedi, Samantha Syiem, Sayoni Basu, Shannon Massar, Suranjana Choudhury, Tengnang D Sangma, Victoria Dobritz, and Vidya Shivadas.
“The Government is making every effort to open up opportunities to the youth of the state in the fields of art, sport, craft and entrepreneurship. This literary festival is a platform to connect the creative individuals of the State to national and international authors and publishing houses,” said Commissioner and Secretary, Vijay Kumar D.
