The 9th edition of JLF London brought together world’s leading writers, thinkers, artists, and entertainers

Marked by its pervasive sense of inclusiveness and community, the ninth edition of JLF London was held from June 10 to 12, 2022 at the British Library. Encapsulating the spirit of the world famous literary festival, JLF London brought again to the heart of London a fantastic lineup of thought-provoking sessions studded with writers and thinkers, poets, balladeers and raconteurs, bringing to life South Asia’s unique multilingual literary heritage at the British Library.

The ninth edition of JLF London brought to the fore some of the most pressing issues of our times—India@75, the Urgency of Borrowed Time (Climate Change), the 50th Anniversary of the 1971 Indo-Pak War, Translation, Poetry, Art and Music, Business, History and many more. The festival line-up included English radio and television presenter Anita Rani, British journalist and broadcaster and the author of several highly acclaimed books Anthony Sattin, award-winning travel writer and novelist Colin Thubron, Indian-born British writer, playwright, screenwriter Farrukh Dhondy, and the 2022 International Booker Prize winning author of Ret Samadhi / Tomb of Sand, Geetanjali Shree.

The other distinguished personalities attending the festival included the 2010 Booker Prize winning British novelist and journalist Howard Jacobson, member of the House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee and Director of the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute, Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, the Caribbean born author of mixed African and Indian parentage Kris Manjapra, award-winning, bestselling writer whose work has been translated into twenty-six languages Monica Ali, author, screenwriter and one of the most prominent UK voices on diversity and inclusion in the arts Nikesh Shukla, renowned historian and biographer Ramachandra Guha, celebrated Indian singer and musician Remo Fernandes, and historian of South Asia and author of two acclaimed books, Sixteen Stormy Days and Imperial Sovereignty and Local Politics Tripurdaman Singh, among others.

Festival Co-Director Namita Gokhale rejoiced that JLF finally returned to the British Library to present live encounters with a range of diverse voices and perspectives examining the changing axis of the world. Sanjoy K. Roy, Managing Director, Teamwork Arts, which organizes the JLF and several other festivals across the world, exulted at the participation of an amazing array of writers and speakers at JLF London including this year’s International Booker Prize winner Geetanjali Shree, Ramachandra Guha and Dr. Shashi Tharoor, among others.

The Jaipur Literature Festival in India is a global literary phenomenon, having hosted more than 5000 speakers and artists, and welcomed over a million book-lovers from across the globe over the past decade. JLF London at the British Library brings the universal, democratic, and inclusive core values of the Festival to the UK, celebrating books, creativity, dialogue, diversity and varied intellectual discourse. In 2021, JLF London at the British Library was presented as a very special and hybrid festival with a few sessions held live at the British Library, the Aga Khan Centre and the Darjeeling Express Restaurant, and featured the likes of Elif Shafak, Tahmima Anam, Swati Thiyagarajan, Christos Tsiolkas, Raven Leilani, Rory Stewart, among others.