Bhubaneswar literary meet | January 10-12, 2020

In 2016, Gameplan launched the Bhubaneswar Literary Meet, because a culturally rich region like Odisha needed a festival that would celebrate its literature and allied cultural pursuits — dance, music, recitation, and theatrical performances. The idea was an endeavour to take Odisha to a wider world audience and also to bring the world to Odisha.

From the very first year, the lit meet has drawn premier authors and speakers from across India and the world, having hosted eminent delegates such as Manoj Das, Ruskin Bond, Jayanta Mahapatra, Nayantara Sehgal, Kiran Nagarkar, Sharmila Tagore, Ileana Citaristi, Mark Tully, Nandita Das, Barkha Dutt, and William Dalrymple among several others. This lit meet has become an integral part of Bhubaneswar's annual cultural calendar and the overwhelming response encourages us keep our emphasis on a consistently high quality of participants, and an inherent connection with the local cultural ethos.

Event Schedule

10 JAN FRIDAY 11 JAN SATURDAY 12 JAN SUNDAY

4pm Xavier Institute Inauguration

Meghnad Desai

Perumal Murugan

Inauguration

Lord Meghnad Desai and Perumal Murugan

4.20pm Xavier Institute Trump, Brexit and India

Meghnad Desai

Ajoy Bose

Trump, Brexit and India

Making sense of the world at the start of a new decade: Meghnad Desai’s keynote address. Followed by conversation with Ajoy Bose.

5.20pm Xavier Institute Basanti

Anant Mahapatra

Himansu Mohapatra

Chandrahas Choudhury

Basanti

Anant Mahapatra, Himansu Mohapatra and Malabika Roy discuss the collaborative novel and its translation. In conversation with Chandrahas Choudhury.

6.10pm Xavier Institute Gandhi and Inclusion

S.N. Sahu

Prakash C. Sarangi

Jatindra Nayak

Gandhi and Inclusion

S.N. Sahu and Prakash C. Sarangi. In conversation with Jatindra Nayak.

7pm Xavier Institute Is Zamane Ka Ishq, Us Zamane Ke Naghme

Priya Malik

YOU & I

Is Zamane Ka Ishq, Us Zamane Ke Naghme

Duo Sourendra Mullick and Soumyajit Das collaborate with YouTube sensation and spoken word performer Priya Malik, to speak of how love is still the greatest muse.

11am Xavier Institute The Birds of Odisha

Bikram Grewal

Panchami Manoo Ukil

The Birds of Odisha

Bikram Grewal on the state’s avian riches. In conversation with Panchami Manoo Ukil.

11.50am Xavier Institute Perumal Murugan –A Life in Letters

Perumal Murugan

Nandini Murali

Perumal Murugan –A Life in Letters

Perumal Murugan and his translator Nandini Murali speak about his works and his first non-fiction work, Amma. In conversation with Malavika Banerjee.

12.40pm Xavier Institute The Honest Boswell

Ajoy Bose

Ruben Banerjee

Jatindra Nayak

The Honest Boswell

Ajoy Bose and Ruben Banerjee about the challenge of writing an honest biography. In conversation with Jatindra Nayak.

2.15pm Xavier Institute Sridevi

Satyarth Nayak

Shantanu Ray Chaudhuri

Sridevi

Khwabon ki Shahzaadi – The Odisha launch of Satyarth Nayak’s book, Sridevi: The Eternal Screen Goddess. Followed by a conversation with Shantanu Ray Chaudhuri.

3.10pm Xavier Institute Manto & I

Nandita Das

Namita Devidayal

Manto & I

Nandita Das on her personal and cinematic journey with the incredible Saadat Hasan Manto. In conversation with Namita Devidayal.

4pm Xavier Institute Watching a Poem

Priya Malik

Rosie Garland

Watching a Poem

Priya Malik and Rosie Garland on the writer as performer. Readings, recitations and discussion. In conversation with Sukanya Das.

4.50pm Xavier Institute The Golden Breath

Hariprasad Chaurasia

Sathya Saran

Shantanu Ray Chaudhuri

The Golden Breath

Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia on his life, his music and memories. Memoirist Sathya Saran and maestro in conversation with Shantanu Ray Chaudhuri.

5.40pm Xavier Institute The Rhymes they’re a changing

Sitakant Mahapatra

Anant Mahapatra

Subodh Patnaik

Sucheta Mishra

Dash Benhur

The Rhymes they’re a changing

Sitakant Mahapatra, Anant Mahapatra, Subodh Patnaik and Sucheta Mishra on changing rhymes and muses that morph. In conversation with Dash Benhur. (Odia Session)

7.15 pm Xavier Institute Kusur

Amol Palekar

Sandhya Gokhale

Kusur

A play by Amol Palekar adapted from Den Skyldige by Gustav Moller and Emil N Andersen. Written by Sandhya Gokhale. (Venue: Rabindra Mandap)

11.30am Xavier Institute Bamana Arzee

Chandrahas Choudhury

Sindhubala Choudhury

Manu Dash

Bamana Arzee

Launch of Odia edition of Chandrahas Choudhury’s book, Arzee the Dwarf, translated by Sindhubala Choudhury. The author and the translator in conversation with Manu Dash. (Odia Session)

12.20pm Xavier Institute The Sixth String of Vilayat Khan

Namita Devidayal