Nobel, Booker winners to take part in JLF's 16th edition, starting Jan 19

Nobel laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah, Sahitya Akademi awardee Anamika, actress-writer Deepti Naval, and Booker Prize winners Bernardine Evaristo and Howard Jacobson are among the 25 speakers on the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) first list for its 16th edition, starting January 19, the organisers announced on Tuesday.

The upcoming edition, scheduled from January 19-23, 2023, will take place at Hotel Clarks Amer, Jaipur. It was held in a hybrid format last year.

Touted as ''the world's largest free literary event'', the festival is expected to see participation by over 250 authors, thinkers, politicians and popular culture icons, with a special focus on world literature.

''In 2023, the literary extravaganza will showcase a plethora of themes and writers curated specially for its loyal community of audiences from across the world, offering an immersive experience of literature, discourse, musical performances, art installations, merchandise, local cuisine and more,'' said the organisers in a statement.

''The Festival will offer a representation of all Indian national languages and multiple foreign languages with sessions spread across 5 venues with over 250 speakers,'' they added.

Also featuring on the first list of speakers are: Anthony Sattin, author of ''Nomads: The Wanderers Who Shaped Our World''; DSC Prize shortlisted Sri Lankan author Ashok Ferrey; two-time Booker Prize shortlisted Chigozie Obioma; translator of the International Booker-winning novel ''Tomb of Sand'', Daisy Rockwell and celebrated English fiction writer Ashwin Sanghi.

The list continues with poet-novelist Jerry Pinto; author of award-winning ''Intimacies'', Katie Kitamura; distinguished Mathematics professor Manil Suri; literary critic and bestselling author Martin Puchner; Turkish-American author Merve Emre; Booker Prize shortlisted author NoViolet Bulawayo; historian-writer Rana Safvi; Booker-nominated American-Canadian author Ruth Ozeki.

''This year we are proud to present a galaxy of some of the greatest writers on the planet: a fabulous array of Nobel, Booker, Pulitzer, Sahitya Academy, Women's Prize and Baillie Gifford award winners, laureates and medallists.

''. . . We deeply delve into areas of world literature we have so far failed to explore; look in detail at the turmoil in the Ukraine, Russia and Iran; we explore a vast range of subjects from Neanderthals to Leonardo da Vinci; from the agonies of Partition to the Right to Sex. It's an incredible line up- absolutely not to be missed,'' said William Dalrymple, writer, historian and co-director of JLF.

The list also features author of the bestselling ''Empireland: How Imperialism Has Been Shaped Modern Britain'' Sathnam Sanghera; Booker-shortlisted author Shehan Karunatilaka; Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar awardee Tanuj Solanki; bestelling author Vauhini Vara; American historian Vincent Brown; journalist-author Vir Sanghvi and Naga writer Avinuo Kire.

''As we prepare to welcome book-lovers to Jaipur in January, we are delighted to share some of the stellar names who will be joining us... This is a menu of delights for readers of all literary appetites and persuasions. And this is just a taster of the delights to come,'' said Namita Gokhale, writer, publisher and co-director of JLF.

The 10th edition of the Jaipur BookMark (JBM), which will be running parallel to the festival, will bring together a wide range of publishers, literary agents, writers, translators, translation agencies and booksellers from across the world and give them an opportunity to meet, talk business and listen to major global industry players.

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