JLF 2023 Sessions We’re Excited to Attend!

We cannot wait to be at the grandest literary festival of the world!

Check out the sessions and activities that our team is looking forward to attending at Jaipur Literature Festival 2023!

I’m excited about being at the Jaipur Literature Festival, back in January after what seems like ages (wait, it HAS in fact been a few years!). There are many sessions across the five days of the festival that I’m looking forward to attending; among the authors I’m very eager to hear are Gulzarsaab, AS Dulat, Sanjeev Sanyal, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Vauhini Vara, Shobhaa De, Aanchal Malhotra, Janice Pariat, Ruth Harris, Miranda Seymour, Anna Keay and John Keay – there are many others but I’ll run out of breath if I try to name everyone. There’s also a number of sessions at Jaipur Bookmark that I’d like to attend. On the morning of the 21st, I’ll be moderating a session featuring the short story collections of two wonderful writers: Anu Singh Chaudhary and Anukrti Upadhyay: I’m looking forward very much to this. Can’t wait to be back at the ‘greatest literary show on earth’! 

Udayan Mitra 
Executive Publisher 

‘So looking forward to attending Sudha Murty’s session. Her simple and inspiring stories are like a warm hug. I’m also excited to attend the sessions on Indian history. There are so many to choose from … COURTING INDIA: ENGLAND, MUGHAL INDIA AND THE ORIGINS OF EMPIRE, SCARS OF 1947: THE HEALING, The Great Caves of India.’

Ridhima Kumar 
Commissioning Editor & Manager – Rights and Licensing, Indian Languages
 

I always look forward to JLF and an exercise that I take to with much enthusiasm is preparing a wishlist of author talks and panel discussions I’d like to attend. With each passing year, this task gets increasingly difficult — the list of speakers only gets better and better. Yet again, the organizers have outdone themselves in putting together an enviable line-up, managing to balance all kinds of tastes and genres, matching the stars of the literary world, and putting the spotlight on emerging voices whom we need to read more. The pandemic has proved that there’s nothing quite like an in-person fest and I’m particularly looking forward to meeting all our authors and attending sessions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Vauhini Vara, A S Dulat, Manreet Sodhi Someshwar, Amish, Aanchal Malhotra among many others — all of whom have given us comfort, pleasure and thrills through months that tested our survival as a world. 

Arcopol Chaudhuri
Executive Editor – Rights & New Media
 

What fascinates me most is that Jaipur Literature Festival celebrates literature, authors, publishing, and books in general. 

The vibe you get from the moment you walk into the venue is what keeps you in great spirits. 

The artistic and creative decorations, as well as the small kulhad chai corner, all contribute to an ambience conducive to having absorbing literary discussions. During this period, Jaipur as a whole comes to life; restaurants, cafes, stores, and all other places. 

One of my favourite restaurants during this time is Handi, both for the food and because you can be sure to meet some friends from the literary community there. 

Author meetings and catching up with old colleagues, in addition to the amazing sessions, are what make it even more special for me, even after so many years. As for the sessions I am looking forward to the launch of Namita Gokhale’s new book Mystics and Sceptics on 21st Jan, Independence: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni in conversation with Aanchal Malhotra, AS Dulat’s session about his memoirs, A Life in the Shadows and Revolutionaries, where Sanjeev Sanyal is in conversation with Tripurdaman Singh. 

Aman Arora 
General Manager—Marketing
 

“The two sessions I am most excited about are both on the 22nd — one where former R&AW chief Mr A.S. Dulat talks about his memoir, A Life in the Shadows, and the other where Sanjeev Sanyal discusses his Revolutionaries with Tripurdaman Singh. Both books are new releases, and these are among the first conversations the authors are having about their much-anticipated titles. Both Mr Dulat and Sanjeev are experienced raconteurs, and I very much look forward to hearing them speak at the ‘greatest literary show on earth’!” 

Swati Chopra
Associate Publisher 

I’m thrilled to be attending JLF this year, and the session I look forward to the most is for the title, Friends with Benefits: The India-US story by Seema Sirohi.  

Besides having probably, the most interesting title, Friends with Benefits is the most comprehensive account yet of the India-US relationship and it’s astonishing how little is written about the subject. 

I look forward to gaining a plethora of knowledge about the subject and see what the future holds for the 2 great nations.  Specially excited since the session is with C Raja Mohan. 

Vandana Rathore 
Sr Manager – Marketing  

I am returning to the JLF after a gap of three years, and so, absolutely thrilled about it! The list of the sessions I am looking forward to attending here runs long – one is always, both regrettably (and not), spoilt for choice at this fest. But some of the ones that I don’t want to miss would be the one with Anukrti Upadhyay, who’d be speaking about her brilliant and striking short-story collection, The Blue Women; the one with Janice Pariat, where she’ll be talking about Everything the Light Touches, a novel I can’t wait to start reading but I already know how exquisite it would be. This is the first time that I will be attending book conversations by both these authors, and that has me excited. There is also the Poetry Hour featuring, among others, Mani Rao and Meena Kandasamy, which will I think prove to be most delightful. To listen to poetry being performed, being read aloud is, in many inexplicable ways, an insightful experience…

I wish and I wish I could be at the fest for all the days, but alas. Thankfully, though, there’s always a next time.

Rinita Banerjee
Senior Editor (Literary)

JLF is the most vibrant literature festival in India and I always look forward to the spectacular rundown of sessions where you get to see the most iconic faces in the publishing industry. I personally look forward to the HarperCollins 30 year party and celebrating this milestone with the whole team!

Nikita Thapar
Manager – Digital Marketing