Gateway LitFest To Be Held On March 1 And 2 In Mumbai

• The largest platform for Indian language writers is back after COVID hiatus
• GLF to celebrate global success of Indian writings: Indian Literature Going Global

MUMBAI: Top writers, including Jnanpith laureates and Akademi awardees, from different regional languages will once again gather in Mumbai for the 7th edition of Gateway LitFest (GLF), the largest platform in the country to celebrate language writings, on March 1 and 2, 2024.

Being held after a gap of three years enforced by the Covid pandemic, the pioneering festival of letters will this time celebrate the recent success of regional writers at the world stage, revolving around the central theme of `Indian literature going global.’ The two-day event, being organised by quarterly magazine Kaakka, will be held at the prestigious Convocation Hall, the Fort Campus of the Mumbai University.

Celebrated film-maker Adoor Gopalakrishnan, who is also the chairman of the advisory panel of the GLF, Jnanpith winners like Pratibha Ray and Damodar Mauzo, leading writers like Subodh Sarkar, Sitanshu Yashaschandra, Sachin Ketkar, AJ Thomas, S Prasannarajan, Vivek Shanbhag, Paul Zacharia, Devibharathi, Anwar Ali,  N Kalyana Raman, Fathima EV, Shanta Gokhale, Jameel Gulrays, Farook Shaheen, Ramu Ramnathan, Resul Pookkutty, and Vetrimaaran will be among the speakers.

“When the Covid forced us to shelve the event that was held successfully for six years, we felt depressed.  While many festivals took the virtual route to survive, we decided to wait for the right time to organize it physically which is important to meet and discuss literature in person and share the camaraderie of letters. Now we are extremely glad to make a comeback,” said Festival Director Mohan Kakkanadan.

“The recent times have seen our regional writers pushing the global boundaries and winning accolades worldwide. There is a new-found interest in Indian writings especially after `Tomb of Sand’ by Geetanjali Shree became the first Hindi-language novel to win the International Booker Prize for 2022. Writers like Perumal Murugan, Vivek Shanbag and Bennyamin also are making big impact beyond the boundaries. It is time to celebrate the global success of our own language writers and their works,” said Festival Executive Director Joseph Alexander.

“This current success is partly because of the hard work and talents of a bunch of translators who are also responsible for new thrust of translations happening from one Indian language to another. We are going to make a special tribute to them and honour some of the best translators in the country at present,” said GLF Executive Director K J Bennychan.

Hundreds of writers from all Indian languages have so far graced the festival, the first and the largest platform for Indian writings, in the last six editions. The present edition will also see several sessions on different facets of literature, covering translations, drama, poetry and regional themes.