Discussions on influential personalities, issues of contemporary relevance, translations, and more will animate The Hindu Lit for Life, to be held on January 17 and 18 at the Lady Andal premises in Chennai.
The festival will feature a rich line-up of conversations on icons who have shaped India’s social, political, and intellectual landscape. Congress MP and author Shashi Tharoor will explore the legacy of Sree Narayana Guru, whose ideas challenged entrenched hierarchies and ushered in an era of social reform.
Historian and author A.R. Venkatachalapathy, who has co-edited The Cambridge Companion to Periyar with Karthick Ram Manoharan, will explore the enduring relevance of Periyar’s life and thought in today’s society.
Historian Aparajith Ramnath will speak on M. Visvesvaraya, one of the foremost builders of modern India, drawing from his award-winning biography, Engineering a Nation. In the same session, Priyambada Jayakumar will trace the remarkable journey that led M.S. Swaminathan to become the father of the Green Revolution. In a session centred on her book, A Woman of No Consequence, professor Kalpana Karunakaran will reflect on the extraordinary life of a seemingly ordinary woman, her maternal grandmother, Pankajam.
As always, the festival will also engage with the complex political and social issues confronting the world today. Former Secretary of the Research and Analysis Wing of India, A.S. Dulat and journalist Ziya Us Salam will participate in a session titled The Kashmir Connection.
Journalists Ashutosh and Sobhana K. Nair will assess India’s evolving political landscape, and editor and writer Ghazala Wahab will examine the forces shaping contemporary India.
Conversations on migration, displacement, and the search for belonging will feature Amrita Shah, Saras Manickam, and Viji Krishnamoorthy.
With more and more translated works gaining prominence, writer Imayam and Justice (retd.) Prabha Sridevan will reflect on the joys and challenges of translating Imayam’s work, in conversation with journalist Kavitha Muralidharan. Professor Chandan Gowda, playwright Gowri Ramnarayan, and translator Vanamala Viswanatha will join publisher and editor Mini Krishnan in discussing the art of carrying stories across languages and cultural landscapes. Deepa Bhasthi will be in conversation with Nandini Krishnan about how translations bring stories alive for new audiences.
Mental health, personal well-being, and empowerment will be key themes at the festival. Social entrepreneur Neha Kirpal and Dr. Lakshmi Narasimhan will share perspectives on women’s mental health journeys, while Amit Bhatt, Avira Bhatt, and Shelja Sen will focus on the mental health of adolescents. Author Manasi Chaudhuri will speak about providing women with accessible information about their rights. Dr. Ambrish Mithal and fitness coach Raj Ganpath will discuss the weight-loss revolution, while Devina Mehra and Rohit Sarin will list out some of the practical strategies needed for building wealth.
A conversation on memory, language, and the craft of poetry, with poets Ashwani Kumar and K. Srilata, and socio-cultural activist and philanthropist Ranvir Shah, will be followed by the prize-giving ceremony for the Poetry with Prakriti Poetry Contest 2026.
On January 18, there will be a screening of Wild Tamil Nadu, produced by Sundram Fasteners and directed by Kalyan Varma. Art dealer and curator Sharan Apparao will speak on The Many Lives of the Lotus: Between Sacred History and Contemporary Claims, engaging with questions of iconography, visual continuity, and cultural transmission through the lotus as both motif and symbol.
The Hindu Lit For Life is presented by The all-new Kia Seltos. In association with: Christ University and NITTE, Associate Partners: Orchids- The International School, Hindustan Group of Institutions, State Bank of India, IndianOil, Indian Overseas Bank, New India Assurance, Akshayakalpa, United India Insurance, ICFAI Group, Chennai Port Authority and Kamarajar Port Limited, Vajiram & Sons, Life Insurance Corporation of India, Mahindra University, Realty Partner: Casagrand, Education Partner: SSVM Institutions, State Partner: Government of Sikkim, Official Timekeeping Partner: Citizen, Regional Partner: DBS Bank India Ltd, Tourism Partner: Bihar Tourism, Bookstore Partner: Crossword and Water Partner: Repute Radio partner: Big FM
Registration link to the festival: newsth.live/litforlife
Published – January 14, 2026 09:58 pm IST
