January 2015 is around the corner, and that can only mean one thing: it’s time for The Hindu Lit for Life in Chennai. Over the past few years, the festival has quietly cemented its position as an event that both participants and audiences alike can look forward to. “This is one festival that is truly about books, writers and readers,” said Ashwin Sanghi.
Colin Thubron concurred, calling the festival “one of the liveliest and most attractive of my experience”.
Jim Crace “loved every moment of it” and Abraham Verghese declared himself a fan.
The 2015 edition takes place across three days and features panel discussions, individual talks, live demos and workshops. As always, the festival is a celebration of great writing, great writers and great audiences.
The high point will be the announcement of the winner of The Hindu Prize 2014 on January 17, 2015. The judges — K. Satchidanandan, Githa Hariharan, Malashri Lal, Tabish Khair and Arunava Sinha — will have to choose from a formidable shortlist: Anita Nair ( Idris: Keeper of the Light ), Deepti Kapoor ( A Bad Character ), Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar ( The Mysterious Ailment of Rupi Baskey ), Shashi Deshpande ( Shadow Play ), Ashok Srinivasan ( The Book of Common Signs ) and Shovon Chowdhury ( The Competent Authority ). Just like last year, college students from Chennai will present dramatised excerpts from the shortlisted novels under the guidance of Crea-Shakthi, the festival’s Dramatics Partner.
As always, there’s something for everyone at Lit for Life, and 2015 is no different. Festival attendees for the coming year include some of the biggest names in literature today. Eleanor Catton, winner of the Man Booker Prize 2013, will be there, as will Damon Galgut, and Jonathan Gil Harris. Fans of best-selling authors Amish Tripathi and Chetan Bhagat, be sure to attend! Other acclaimed novelists include Allan Sealy, Amitabha Bagchi, Janice Pariat and Timeri Murari. In addition, some of India’s most prominent figures in the publishing industry — including David Davidar (Aleph Book Company), Karthika V.K. (HarperCollins India) and Ritu Menon (Women Unlimited) — will speak at the festivals.
History buffs have a special treat in store. Best-selling writers Charles Allen (British Raj), Jung Chang (China) and Rajmohan Gandhi (South Asia) will be stopping by. For Chennai-ites, A.R. Venkatachalapthy and V. Sriram will explore the city’s history, while Singeetam Srinivasa Rao and Alarmel Valli discuss its vibrant culture. M.D. Muthukumaraswamy, A. Srivathsan and Rohan Shivkumar will help you discover a city’s living heritage: song and dance. Photographer Dayanita Singh will be in a session with Carnatic musician T.M. Krishna.
The festival also brings together some of the most prominent public figures in India and the world, including political commentators Ahdaf Soueif and Nayantara Sahgal, economist and politician Lord Meghnad Desai, policy analyst Sanjaya Baru, former Comptroller & Auditor General Vinod Rai, and journalists Rajdeep Sardesai, Aatish Taseer, Salil Tripathi, Samanth Subramanian, and Sashi Kumar will compare notes on their work.
Those interested in learning more about women’s rights should not miss Leila Seth’s session on the subject. In addition, Ammu Joseph, Prabha Sridevan, Vasuki and Ramesh Gopalakrishnan will discuss the feminine form in its avatar as a site of violence and objectification.
All forms of art find a place at the festival. Music enthusiasts will delight in T.V. Gopalakrishnan and Prince Rama Varma’s session on the evolution of the different forms of lyrics in Carnatic music. For a brush with the silver screen, meet Bollywood stars Tisca Chopra and Nimrat Kaur and acclaimed Kollywood directors Vetrimaran and Vasanthabalan. Manu Chakravarthy, Shiv Visvanathan and K. Satchidanandan will be paying homage to U.R. Ananthamurthy. Theatre will be represented by well-known artistes from Tamil Nadu — Gnani, Pralayan and Smiley Vidya.
The festival’s workshops are known for their facilitators, who are experts in their respective fields, and this year’s workshops are no exception. Mini Krishnan (Editor-Translations at Oxford University Press) will conduct a workshop on the art of translation. Lyricist Madhan Karky will introduce you to lyric engineering, the process of applying scientific and mathematical principles to create effective lyrics. The Hindu’s film critic Baradwaj Rangan will help you learn to interpret cinema, your way. Environmental journalist and conservation biologist Bahar Dutt will regale children will tales of her adventures around the world. Bhavna Bhagat will teach Angel Therapy by helping you discover your guardian angels and learning to trust your intuition. Dr. Sharad P. Paul, well known in the field of skin cancer surgery, will share important information on skincare and demonstrate how to create ‘homemade’ cleansers and exfoliators. If you’re a foodie, don’t miss the workshop by celebrity chefs Kunal Kapur and Manu Chandra.
So block your dates today! This is an event you don’t want to miss.
The Hindu Lit for Life 2015 is on from January 16 to 18 at the Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao Concert Hall, Harrington Road, Chennai.
To reserve your complimentary invite, SMS: LFL<space>Your Name, Age to 53030 or register online at >www.thehindulfl.com
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