JLF releases first list of speakers for 13th edition

Pulitzer-winning author Stephen Greenblatt, Hindustani classical singer Shubha Mudgal, and filmmaker-writer Vishal Bhardwaj are among the 25 speakers on Jaipur Literature Festival's (JLF) first list for its 13th edition, announced organisers on Wednesday.

Touted as 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. The upcoming edition will be held from January 23 - 27, 2020 at the Diggi Palace Hotel in Jaipur.

"A true champion of literary and artistic traditions and democratic discourse, the Festival brings together a diverse mix of the world's greatest writers, thinkers, humanitarians, politicians, business leaders, sports people and entertainers on one stage to champion the freedom to express and engage in thoughtful debate and dialogue, and promotes, above all, a love for literature," organisers said in a statement.

Also featuring on the first list are authors Anand Neelakantan, Anosh Irani, Ben Judah, Brian Aivars Catlos and British chef Asma Khan. The list continues with Vyas Samman awardee Chitra Mudgal, Samuel Johnson Prize winner Frank Dikötter, Man Booker winner Howard Jacobson, Sahitya Akademi winner Keki N Daruwalla, Kendra and Kerala Sahitya Akademi winner K R Meera, and bestselling authors Hallie Rubenhold, Kent Nerburn and Jung Chang.

"The upcoming edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival arrives with the same magical promise of books and authors, ideas and creativity, generating a collective intellectual energy unparalleled anywhere.

"Vision 2020 will be a new voyage of discovery to help us understand and reflect on the ever-changing world around us," said Namita Gokhale, writer, publisher and JLF co-director. The list also features Kunal Basu, the author of "The Japanese Wife"; Maaza Mengiste, author of "Beneath the Lion's Gaze"; Marcus du Sautoy, author of six books, including the recent "The Creativity Code and a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford"; Mishi Saran, author of "The Other Side of Light"; Nilanjana S Roy, author of the award-winning fantasy novel "The Wildings"; and Om Swami, the brain behind the fastest-growing meditation and kindness movement in the world --"Black Lotus".

It also includes award-winning journalist Raj Kamal Jha, Coburg Rückert Prize winner Sara Rai, and Hutch Crossword awardee Suketu Mehta.

"At Jaipur Literature Festival in 2020, we look forward to strengthening our core values - to create a platform that celebrate ideas, reaches out to young people and allows them free access to knowledge and education," said festival producer Sanjoy K Roy.

The seventh 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.