• By Mabel Pais

The Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC) presents once again its annual literary festival, bringing together acclaimed authors, poets, and literary grand masters for a weekend of engaging book talks, panel discussions, and performances. Held at the International House on November 9-10, 2024, the festival is free and open to all, offering audiences a unique opportunity to explore global Indian literature and culture.

PARTNERS

McKinsey & Company has come onboard as a Knowledge Partner, adding a new dimension to this year’s festival with their world-class insights and expertise. The Prabha Khaitan Foundation (PKF) returns for a second consecutive year as a key partner, reinforcing the festival’s growing prominence as a premier celebration of Indian and global literature in New York City. Their support promises to elevate the IAAC Literary Festival to new heights!

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9

Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri, author of ‘Swallowing the Sun,’ in conversation with Roopa Unnikrishnan

Sonora Jha, author of ‘The Laughter,’ in conversation with Sayu Bhojwani

Raghav Rao (author of ‘Missy’) and Nishanth Injam (author of ‘The Best Possible Experience’) in conversation with Prof. Makarand Paranjape

Beena Kamlani discusses ‘The English Problem’

Amitava Kumar, author of ‘My Beloved Life,’ in conversation with Beena Kamlani

Brook Eddy (author of ‘STEEPED: Adventures of a Tea Entrepreneur’) and

Chef Asma Khan (author of ‘Monsoon’) in conversation Shehla Rashid presents her book ‘Role Models’

Prof. S. N. Sridhar (Editor) and Prof. Narayan Hegde (Translator) discuss ‘The Kannada Mahabharata’

Alka Joshi, author of ‘The Jaipur Trilogy,’ in conversation with Shanelle Kaul

Tripurdaman Singh discusses ‘Sixteen Stormy Days: Story of the First Amendment to the Constitution’, in conversation with Venkat Dhulipala Industry panel featuring Priya Doraswamy and Lucia Macro in conversation with Prof. Makarand Paranjape

Bhuwan Ribhu, author of ‘When Children Have Children: Tipping Point to End Child Marriage’, in conversation with Dinesh Khosla

Harini Nagendra, author of ‘A Nest of Vipers,’ in conversation with Shiv Rao

Dr. Shuvendu Sen (author of ‘The Fight Against Alzheimer’s’) and Dr. Sandeep Jauhar (author of ‘My Father’s Brain’) in conversation with Dr. Sanat Chattopadhyay

Divya Prakash Dubey, author of ‘Yaar Papa,’ in conversation with Anoop Bhargava

A highlight of the festival’s closing session on Saturday, November 9, will be a poetry panel featuring internationally acclaimed poets Guillermo Rodríguez Martín, Anand Thakore, Krishna Ramanujan, Kashiana Singh, and Diane Mehta moderated by Curator and poet Ravi Shankar. This session will explore powerful themes of identity, language, and culture, offering audiences an intimate look at these poets’ creative journeys.

To end the evening on an exciting note, the festival will host a poetry slam where emerging poets and spoken word artists will compete to win a $100 prize and a signed first edition of one of the featured authors’ works. The poetry slam promises to be a vibrant showcase of contemporary voices, blending the artistry of performance with powerful storytelling.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 10

Kalpana Raina, translator of ‘For Now, It Is Night: Stories,’ in conversation with Padma Bhushan Subhash Kak

Larry Bone (author of ‘Myself Lost’) and Shaun Fynn (author of ‘Departures: A Journey with India’) in conversation with Rakesh Kaul

Karthik Ramanna (author of ‘The Age of Outrage: How to Lead in a Polarized World’) and Ramesh Srinivasan (author of ‘The Journey of Leadership: How CEOs Learn to Lead from the Inside Out’) in conversation with Deepak Raj

Anshul Chaturvedi, author of ‘The Vivekananda Handbook,’ in conversation with Swami Sarvapriyananda

Veera Hiranandani, author of ‘Amil and The After,’ in conversation with Raakhee Mirchandani

Siddhartha Mallya discusses his book ‘Sad Glad,’ in conversation with Ravina Aggarwal

Anu Sehgal (author of ‘I am a Lotus’) and Naumi Kak (author of ‘Knotty Knots’) in conversation with Ravina Aggarwal

“With a diverse range of topics and literary works, the IAAC literary Festival provides a rare opportunity for readers to engage with authors, learn about their creative processes, and explore the many ways Indian culture and storytelling intersect with global conversations.” added Preethi Urs, Literary Festival Director. 

For more details and a full schedule of events, visit iaac.us.

IAAC

The Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC.us) is an organization committed to promoting and showcasing the arts and artists of Indian heritage. IAAC programs include visual arts, film, dance, and literature, offering a platform for creative voices from the global Indian community.

(Mabel Pais writes on Social Issues, The Arts and Entertainment, Spirituality, Cuisine, Health & Wellness, Business, and Education)