Sahitya Akademi, India’s leading literary institution under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, will host its annual Festival of Letters at Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, from March 7 to March 12, 2025. The festival will be inaugurated by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, while renowned English playwright Sri Mahesh Dattani will be the chief guest at the award ceremony, where the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Awards in 23 languages will be presented. Additionally, eminent writer and scholar Sri Upamanyu Chatterjee will deliver the Samvatsar Lecture for the year.
Recognized as Asia’s largest literary festival, the event will bring together approximately 700 writers from across India, representing over 50 languages across 100 sessions. The theme for Festival of Letters 2025 will be Indian Literary Traditions, with a National Seminar on the subject scheduled for the final three days, featuring distinguished scholars and literary figures.
The festival prides itself on being India’s most inclusive literary gathering since 1985, showcasing the works of young writers, women writers, Dalit writers, North-Eastern authors, tribal authors, LGBTQ writers, poets, and other eminent literary figures, translators, publishers, and intellectuals.
A special children’s event, “Spin A Tale”, will be held on the final day, offering young minds an engaging literary experience. Throughout the festival, visitors can enjoy readings, discussions, and presentations by celebrated authors, poets, translators, publishers, and critics on a diverse range of topics.
Adding to the festival’s charm, cultural performances will be held over three evenings, featuring flute recital by Rakesh Chaurasia, Hindustani vocal performance by Nalini Joshi, and a Dastangoi (storytelling) performance of “Dastan-e-Mahabharata” by Fouzia Dastango and Ritesh Yadav.
The Festival of Letters 2025 is free and open to all, welcoming literature enthusiasts to immerse themselves in India’s longest-running literary festival and celebrate its rich literary heritage.