The 11th edition of India’s Bengali literary festival, Apeejay Bangla Sahitya Utsob (ABSU), curated by Oxford Bookstores, starts today and will continue till 9 November at the century-old Oxford Bookstore, Park Street, a cultural landmark that is said to have long been the cradle of literary thought and conversation. This three-day literary celebration promises to bring together luminaries from the world of Bengali literature, art and culture to explore the soul of Bangaliaana.
Swagat Sengupta, festival director and CEO of Oxford Bookstores, said, “As the Apeejay Bangla Sahitya Utsob steps into its 11th edition after completing a decade, we are humbled to witness how a long-cherished vision has grown into a much-loved celebration of Bangla literature and culture. This journey has been made possible by the unswerving support of literary luminaries, authors, publishers, partners and most importantly by our patrons and audience who continue to inspire us every year. This year’s edition thoughtfully weaves together diverse themes, including centenary tributes to iconic Bengali stalwarts, explorations of cinema, publishing, education and poetry. To make the festival more accessible, we will also be sharing all recorded sessions on our YouTube channel after the event, ensuring that the spirit of Bangla literature reaches global audiences.”
Conceptualized in 2015, ABSU has evolved into a vibrant platform that embraces the past, present and future of Bangla literature through thought provoking dialogues, poetry readings, performances and debates. The 2025 edition will feature a diverse and dynamic line-up of speakers- authors, poets, filmmakers, actors, journalists, researchers, academicians, musicians and cultural icons, alongside emerging voices redefining the contours of contemporary Bangla writing.
Speakers and partners of ABSU 2025
This year’s Utsob welcomes a line-up of speakers and cultural figures, including Anindya Chatterjee, Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, Anjan Dutt, Aparajita Dasgupta, Aveek Majumder, Bratya Basu, Jayanta Narayan Chatterjee, Mir Afsar Ali, Nrisingha Prasad Bhaduri, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Samik Bandyopadhyay, Sanjoy Mukhopadhyay, Shankar Chakraborty, Sharmila Maiti, Shiladitya Sen, Shyamali Acharya, Srijato, Subarna Basu, Sudhangshu Sekhar Dey and Yashodhara Ray Chaudhuri among others who continue to shape the intellectual and creative landscape of Bengal.
Adding to the literary celebration, Cha Bar joins as the refreshment partner, bringing the aroma of freshly brewed conversations to life. Shabdabaaji, Surojit-O-Bondhura Kobita Club and Human & Emotion Learning are the session partners at ABSU 2025, supporting the festival’s objective to bridge creativity, community and culture.
Apeejay Bangla Sahitya Utsob (ABSU), said to be India’s first Bangla Literary Festival (i.e. Utsob in Bangla) created by the century-old Oxford Bookstores in 2015, honors the rich literary tradition of the Bangla language. The objective of ABSU, a prized initiative of Oxford Bookstores, is to make Bangla literature increasingly visible and accessible, build an audience for Bangla books and create a culture of readership and familiarization with Bangla language among the youth.
An interactive platform bringing together voices of contemporary Bangla literature from the national and international stage, ABSU showcases all aspects of Bangla literature and literary expression and their impact on various art forms. ABSU is committed to the journey of Bengali literature which is both exciting and exhilarating and has hosted eminent personalities over the years to grace the festival. They include renowned authors like Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay, Nabaneeta Dev Sen, Pabitra Sarkar, Samaresh Majumdar, Sankha Ghosh, Pracheta Gupta, Ranjan Bandhopadhyay, Sanjib Chattopadhaya, Saikat Mukhopadhyay, Anjan Dutt, Anindo Chattopadhay, Nrisingha Prasad Bhaduri, Srijato, Binod Ghoshal, Himadrikishore Dasgupta, Anish Deb, Krishnendu Mukherjee and Subodh Sarkar; film directors like Suman Mukhopadhyay, Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury and Arindam Sil; Bengali musicians Nachiketa, Surojit Chatterjee, Swagatalakshmi Dasgupta, Rupam Islam; actors Sabyasachi Chakraborty, Barun Chandra, Parambrata Chatterjee, Chandan Sen, Kheyali Dastidar and Sohini Sengupta. The festival has also attracted prominent literary personalities from Bangladesh like Selina Hossain, Imdadul Haq Milan and Sadat Hossain.
