The sixth edition of the Kerala Literature Festival will take place on the beaches of Calicut (also known as Kozhikode) from 20 to 23 January 2022. Organized by the DC Kizhakemuri Foundation, the event is supported by the Government of Kerala and the Kerala Tourism Board. KLF is said to be the largest growing literature festival in Asia.Â
The theme of this year’s hybrid edition is ‘come together’ representing the coming together of the book-loving community after a year-long hiatus due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. KLF 2022 will comprise 70% in-person sessions with the remaining 30% being virtual discussions. Feature more than 200 sessions with close to 400 speakers, food trucks alongside the event will spotlight ethnic cuisines and gastronomic opportunities.
Many of the well known Malayalam authors have confirmed including M Mukundan, Sunil P Ilayidom, Paul Zacharia, Benyamin, KR Meera, S Hareesh, VJ James, TD Ramakrishnan, PF Mathews, Ajai P Mangattu, GR Indugopan, PK Parakkadavu, E Santhosh Kumar, poet Manoj Kuroor, Santhosh Echikkanam, Ambikasutan Mangad, Jose Panachippuram, Sree Parvathy, Bobby Thomas, Vinil Paul, TJ Joseph, Rihan Rashid, VN Karidas, Pushpamma, VR Sudheesh, King Jones, Anurag Gopinath, CS Chandrika, and Prof S Sivadas.Â
The sixth edition of the Kerala Literature Festival will also feature well-known names in India’s literary firmament who write in other languages. Historian William Dalrymple known for his vivid depictions of Indian heritage, Indian mythologist, and prolific writer Devdutt Pattanaik, critically acclaimed historian Manu S Pillai, Indian psychoanalyst, novelist and scholar Sudhir Kakar, scholar and widely-read historian Wendy Doniger, Ramayana specialist Paula Richman, and the 2021 JCB Prize-shortlisted debutant author Shabir Ahmad Mir are also expected to grace the occasion.
The four-day literary spectacle will also feature Man booker prize winner and political activist Arundhati Roy, best-selling English novelist, and former politician Jeffrey Archer. The FLO FICCI Women Achievers Award winning author Anita Nair, widely translated and anthologized poet Arundhathi Subramaniam, journalist Sagarika Ghose; journalist and acclaimed author Ghazala Wahab, literary consultant Mita Kapur; journalist Anjana Sankar; international literary consultant Natasha Lomouri; and translator Kabani C, among others are featured at this year’s event.
Indian politician, former diplomat, columnist, and writer Shashi Tharoor; Tamil novelist Perumal Murugan; diplomat and politician Pavan K Varma, lecturer and writer Deepa Nishant, musician Remo Fernandes; author Josy Joseph, philosopher and political writer Jyotirmaya Sharma, retired IPS officer Lokanath Behera, journalist and writer Pramod Raman, clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst Dr Amrita Narayanan are also included in the list of speakers for KLF 2022.
American film-maker Chris Kraus, Nobel laureate Ada E Yonath, Indian actor, director, and politician Prakash Raj, musicologist T M Krishna, lyricist, and journalist Prabha Varma, Indian entrepreneur Sam Santhosh, Naveen Kishore, publisher, Seagull Books, Vinod K Jose, executive editor Caravan magazine, biochemist Pranay Lal, former defense journalist and writer Pravin Sawhney, radio personality Joseph Annamkutty Jose, freelance journalist NK Bhoopesh, and founder editor – Future Medicine CH Unnikrishnan will be present from the cultural scene.
