The raison d’être behind The Hindu Lit for Life Dialogue 2025, a precursor to The Hindu’s much-loved annual literature festival, is simple: a celebration of books, authors, and ideas. “We believe that the space for enjoying reading and literature is unlimited,” as Nirmala Lakshman, Chairperson, The Hindu Group and Festival Founder and Chair, The Hindu Lit For Life, puts it.
Now in its second edition, The Hindu Lit for Life Dialogue offers, “a carefully curated programme that makes it distinct and special,” she says, pointing out that the initiative to take Lit For Life to Bengaluru and Hyderabad aims at extending the festival’s impact in these places.
“I believe the range and variety of subjects that we deal with is unique. Our focus is on new writing as well as covering topics that may be of interest to a wider audience,” says Nirmala. Also, Bengaluru is a place where The Hindu is read and appreciated, and, “that is an important aspect for us — to connect with our readers directly”.
The Lit for Life Dialogue 2025 will have three interesting sessions
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
The event, which will be held on November 21 at the Museum of Art & Photography (MAP), is supported by Amity University (Associate Partner) and Crossword (Bookstore Partner). It will comprise three eclectic sessions featuring speakers from diverse fields, including literature, health, economics, and public thought, such as Dr Ambrish Mithal, Shivam Vij, Shwetambari Shetty, Narendar Pani, Sanjaya Baru, Devina Mehra and Manu Joseph.
“Bengaluru has a vibrant cultural scene with so much going on at any given time, that you have to think especially hard about how to grab its attention,” says Rachna Singh Davidar, festival director,The Hindu Lit for Life.
Indian journalist and writer Manu Joseph
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Colin McPherson
The focus, therefore, has been on things that are of interest to everyone in the city, in her opinion. “We are all obsessing about weight loss drugs like Ozempic. That is why we have a session on that, explaining how these drugs work, who should take them and who shouldn’t and so on. We discuss money, investment, wealth, and why there is an exodus of high net worth individuals from India. We also have a stand-up act on the ills of contemporary Indian society,” says Rachna, who believes each session will resonate with the audience.
Nirmala Lakshman
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Special Arrangement
In a world where literature festivals have mushroomed and continue to proliferate across the country, the only way you can stand out is by ensuring that the fundamentals of your festival are “spectacular”, she adds. “If your programming is world-class, intelligent, entertaining, and ranges across a wide spectrum, your festival will stand out and attract people to it,” says Rachna, who firmly believes that books and writers should be at the heart of any literature festival.
While LFL as a festival has grown both “exponentially” and “organically” over the last decade and a half, “what is important to me is that no matter how big we have grown, there is still something quite intimate about our festival.”
Rachna Singh Davidar, the festival director for The Hindu Lit for Life
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Rachna views The Hindu Lit For Life Dialogue in Bengaluru and Hyderabad as its own distinct festival, rather than an offshoot of The Hindu Lit For Life in Chennai. “They are smaller, and there is a lot more interaction between individual speakers and the audiences,” she says, recalling how, at the previous edition, some speakers were whisked away by students for coffee and conversation right after their sessions.
“I hope there will be even greater interaction between writers and their readers going forward. We had a terrific first year in Bengaluru and are hoping for an even grander turnout this year.”
The Bengaluru Edition of LFL Dialogue 2025 will be held on November 21, from 4pm at the Museum of Art & Photography (MAP), Bengaluru. Entry is by invitation only. To register, visit: https://forms.thehindu.co.in/litforlife2026dialogues/
Published – November 17, 2025 06:32 pm IST