" The songs of Kabira, the 15th century Indian poet, carry the... legacy of the “living word"". Raised by a family of Muslim weavers, he is revered both as a Sufi mystic and a Hindu devotional saint. An outspoken critic of blind faith and ritual practices, his poems reveal an ideology of love and simplicity. The simple power of his words, spoken and often sung in the colloquial tongue, carry resonance around the world even today. In conversation with academic Kavita Sharma, scholar Purushottam Agrawal discusses the medieval mystic."

"His Eminence Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche’s recent book Peaceful Heart :The Buddhist Practice... of Patience brings to the forefront the essential practise of patience in everyday life. Exploring the teachings of the ancient sage Shantideva and his emphasis on patience, His Eminence discusses the classical texts of Buddhism and the impact of its timeless wisdom in contemporary society. In a conversation with Puneeta Roy, he stresses the importance of the practise to develop empathy and insight and to maintain a peaceful state of mind. "

" Mattias A. Klum’s prolific career began with being one of the... youngest contributors to National Geographic in the 1990s. Celebrated for his aesthetic photographic language, he has since contributed to multiple articles and cover stories for the magazine and is the co-author of books such as The Human Quest: Prospering within Planetary Boundaries and Big World Small Planet - Abundance within Planetary Boundaries. In conversation with writer and activist Janhavi Prasada, he discusses his journeys into these different worlds."

" Singing in the Dark brings together the finest of poetic responses... to the coronavirus pandemic. Edited by K. Satchidanandan and Nishi Chawla, it has more than a hundred of the world’s most esteemed poets reflect upon a crisis that has dramatically altered our lives, and laid bare our vulnerabilities."

" Former diplomat, academic and author Rory Medcalf’s latest book, Contest for... the Indo-Pacific: Why China Won’t Map The Future, closely evaluates the Indo-Pacific region's role as a nucleus to the new interconnected world while detailing the history of the region and its current strategic conflicts. He discusses the relationship of countries such as Australia and India in the face of the exponential growth witnessed in China. Medcalf’s diplomatic career included a posting in New Delhi and he is currently the Head of the National Security College at the Australian National University. In conversation with foreign policy expert and author Tanvi Madan, he discusses the broad implications of China’s rise and the contest for regional power."

" Celebrated writer Amish's latest book Dharma: Decoding the Epics for a... Meaningful Life, co-authored with Bhavna Roy, is an illuminating narrative on the essential concepts of Indian philosophy and its relevance in the modern era. Searching the intergenerational wisdom of timeless Indian epics, they throw light on our contemporary confusions. Amish, currently Director of the Nehru Centre in London, is the bestselling author of the Shiva Trilogy, Rama Trilogy and Legend of Suheldev. author and performance storyteller Vayu Naidu, the two co-authors discuss the book and their attempts to address the timeless questions of Dharma, righteousness and a meaningful life."

"The spirit and joy of Christmas evoke different memories for each of... us. Eminent speakers provide insights into the idea of Christmas and delve into the deep roots of its philosophy that resonate across the world. "

Devaki Jain, one of the foremost economists in India, looks back at... the trajectory of feminism through a candid memoir in which her personal story interweaves with the development agenda of a new nation. At the age of 87, Jain has published The Brass Notebook, deliberately invoking Doris Lessing’s classic, The Golden Notebook. The brass stands perhaps for the ordinary lives of women in India amongst whom Jain found her vocation. Growing up in an orthodox Tamil Brahmin family, discovering her freedom at Oxford University and moving on to an illustrious career in India and abroad, it’s a story of change, perception and empathy. Jain’s professional life became devoted to the cause of women-workers in the informal economy. Her work brought her in contact with world leaders, amongst them, Gloria Steinem, Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Vinoba Bhave and Amartya Sen. In a free ranging conversation with Malashri Lal, she speaks of her ideals and her experiences along with the women’s empowerment agenda of her generation.

Traditionally, trackers were used to lead us to animals, people or lost... geographical features concealed in jungles and wildernesses. Today, we need help in navigating the complex and bewildering world of technology. The two speakers in conversation today are aptly poised to clear much of the confusion and the ‘unknowable’ factors involved in lifting the mists surrounding the virtual world of communication as it is today, and as it will be increasingly in the future. Perry Chen is an American artist and the creator of Kickstarter, an online funding platform for creative projects. Monica Narula co-founded the Raqs Media Collective with the avowed intention of forcing viewers to look anew at everyday sights taken for granted.

Shobhaa De has held centre stage from when she first broke into... the world of journalism in 1970, quickly going on to edit three enormously popular magazines: Stardust, Society and Celebrity. Equally successful as a novelist, her hallmark has been the candour with which she depicts life in the upper echelons of Mumbai society. Of late, she has made her mark as a columnist with various publications, always outspoken in giving her opinions of the politics and social happenings of the day. In conversation with author Shunali Khullar Shroff, she discusses her new book Srilaaji in which the eponymous heroine is drawn with humour, earthiness and complete fidelity. De's career as a novelist started with Socialite Evenings, published in 1989, and the immediate success of her fiction has never flagged. What ties De's fiction to her columns and opinion pieces is the complete veracity and frankness with which she draws her world and the underlying humour which is found throughout.

Over her remarkably successful career, Manjula Padmanabhan has worn three distinct hats;... primarily that of a playwright, then of a highly regarded cartoonist and also as a writer of fiction. For all of these, Padmanabhan has mined her own life and society around her for material that is insightful, often acerbic, and always compelling. In conversation with academic Jayanti Naju Seth, she will discuss the creative process behind her latest collections of dramatic pieces, Blood and Laughter, Laughter and Blood, and her autobiographical venture Getting There.

A moving and evocative session with Heartfulness practitioner, trainer and author Joshua... Pollock on the power of prayer. The author of The Heartfulness Way speaks to us about the heart-based meditation and the nuances of the heartful way. An accomplished western classical violinist, Pollock has worked extensively with Kamlesh D. Patel, also widely known as Daaji, the 4th Guru of the Heartfulness tradition, on the human quest for meaning and peace. He has also previously composed music for celebrated musician AR Rahman. In conversation with entrepreneur and Heartfulness trainer Rishabh C. Kothari, he explores the transformative power of prayer to unburden the human spirit from all limitations.

Lord Meghnad Desai's latest offering, Rebellious Lord, is an autobiography that is... a personal account of a distinguished public man. The journey of his life has been extraordinary by all standards. Starting out in Vadodara, he travelled to the US and the UK for higher education, becoming involved in the student protest movement that shook the western world in the 1960s. His unorthodox approach to world economics led to his forming centres of study at the London School of Economics where he helped to create the Human Development Index, now widely used to quantify development in emerging societies around the world. Having joined the British Labour Party in 1971, he entered the House of Lords in 1991. A regular columnist for publications in the UK and in India, he has also written over 30 books on economics, history, politics, cinema, and his recent novel is Anamika: A Tale of Desire in a Time of War. In conversation with John Elliott, he discusses his long awaited autobiography.

The mother-daughter relationship has been studied and documented in textbooks of psychology,... in autobiographical works, in novels and in drama. It is one of the most fundamental of relationships that allows us to form the web of connections that will allow us to relate to the larger world outside the family unit. In her book, What We Carry: A Memoir, Maya Shanbhag Lang examines what happens when we are forced to question the veracity of what we always assumed to be true within the sacred ring of this relationship. Lang has previously received a number of awards for her writing and was longlisted for The Center of Fiction First Novel Prize, a finalist for the Audie Award for Best Audio Book and won the Neil Shepard Prize in Fiction. In conversation with Supriya Dravid.

The mid-eighteenth century marks a pivotal turning point in Indian as well... as world history. Historian and writer Uday Kulkarni’s latest The Extraordinary Epoch of Nanasaheb Peshwa charts the power struggle which led to the Marathas becoming a paramount power in India during this period. In a conversation with historian William Dalrymple, Kulkarni explores the events of the time and the power wielded by Nana Saheb Peshwa.

The internment of 3,000 Chinese-Indians following the Sino-India war of 1962 is... a story not known to many. In a disused World War II POW camp in Deoli, Rajasthan, Indian citizens of Chinese descent were locked away for five years. Seven survivors of this camp have spoken to the author, Joy Ma, who has also documented the history of the Chinese community in India, and of how they came to be a significant section of the country of their adoption. Ma is aptly placed to relate this section of unhappy history as she was born at the Deoli internment camp. Educated in India until she left for graduate school in the US, she is now settled in the San Francisco Bay area. Dilip D'Souza has had a global education in India, the UK and the US. Now a resident of Mumbai, he has won a number of significant awards for his writing, which include The Statesman Rural Reporting Award, the Outlook-Picador India Non-Fiction Prize and the Newsweek South Asia Commentary Prize. In conversation with retired diplomat, politician and celebrated author Shashi Tharoor.

Srinivas Reddy’s Raya: Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara is a vivid and compelling account... of one of the most dynamic and illustrious rulers of the Indian subcontinent. Krishnadevaraya was known not only for his political expansion throughout the Deccan but also for the cultural dynamism and the nurturing of ancient texts and tradition he encouraged in the milieu. Reddy is a translator, musician and academic who has also translated Krishnadevaraya’s Amuktamalyada and Kalidasa’s Meghadutam and Malavikagnimitram. In conversation with author Manu S. Pillai, he examines the splendour of Krishnadevaraya’s rule and its impact on the region.

Commemorating the anniversary of the 1971 war between East and West Pakistan,... Operation X written by Capt MNR Samant and Sandeep Unnithan is the untold story behind one of the world’s largest covert naval wars. Naval Commando Operations (X) was the Directorate of the Naval Intelligence’s code for a series of complicated guerrilla operations directed against the maritime jugular of the Pakistan Army in erstwhile East Pakistan. These innovative sabotage missions, executed with specially-trained East Bengali college students, were part of India’s assistance to the Mukti Bahini guerillas in the months preceding the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war , NCO(X) used the largest number of maritime saboteurs in the history of modern naval warfare to achieve its objectives. Author Sandeep Unnithan, Executive Editor of India Today, has also written the book Black Tornado: The Three Sieges of Mumbai 26/11. Commodore Abdul Wahed Chowdhury of the Bangladeshi Navy was the Chief of Operation Jackpot, one of the three operations undertaken by the Bengal Mukti Bahini along with the Indian government. In a conversation with naval historian Commodore Srikant Kesnur, they discuss the inner world of this conflict and its many intricacies.

The epic poem, the Ramcharitmanas, was composed in the 16th century in... Awadhi by Goswami Tulsidas and has retained its religious and literary primacy through orality, ritual and literature. Writer, politician and former diplomat Pavan K. Varma’s work includes the best-selling Adi Shankaracharya: Hinduism’s Greatest Thinker and recently The Greatest Ode to Lord Ram: Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas. Academic and cultural historian Philip Lutgendorf has worked extensively with the Ramcharitmanas and his definitive English translation published by the Murty Classical Library of India runs into seven volumes. In conversation with fellow scholar, academic and translator Harish Trivedi, they discuss the impact and outreach of this classic text, which has been hailed as “the living sum of Indian culture.”  

Tulsidas’ Ramcharitmanas is a lyrical outpouring of the greatest devotion to Lord... Ram. Writer, former diplomat and politician Pavan K. Varma's latest book, ‘The Greatest Ode to Lord Ram: Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas’, has attempted to deconstruct Hinduism by analysing the plurality that exists within its philosophical roots. Pushpesh Pant is deeply acquainted with the nuances of the Ramcharitmanas. Watch them as they discuss the poetics and philosophy of the classic.  

Tulsidas’ Ramcharitmanas has highlighted Lord Ram’s immense faith and belief in the... concept of dharma. The ideas of the utopian society that Lord Ram strove for within these verses has since then generated the notion of Ram Rajya an ideal combination of governance and righteousness. Author, politician and former diplomat Pavan K. Varma’s latest book, ‘The Greatest Ode to Lord Ram: Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas’, is an ode to the great importance of wisdom over knowledge that shines through the entire text. Pragya Tiwari is a journalist who has written extensively on politics, identity, policy and culture. Watch them as they discuss the foundations of Ram Rajya, what it signifies and its enduring place in Indian polity.  

Drugs and substance abuse are rampant at every level of Indian society... and present clear and present danger to the nation. Yet media attention tends to address the symptoms of the malaise rather than systemic challenges and enabling causes. A session that takes a long hard look at the problem and its alarming dimensions through the perspectives of a policeman who has understanding on the criminal nexus, a journalist and writer who has written on substance abuse and a journalist who examines the larger picture as well as the distractions of political and media messaging.

India and Australia are both cricket obsessed nations that share an all... consuming love for the sport of sports, two brilliant experts bring the changing nature of cricket to life in an engrossing conversation. Author and news anchor Rajdeep Sardesai in his book Democracy's XI: The Great Indian Cricket Story masterfully narrates the story of cricket in a post colonial era through the lives of eleven multi dimensional cricketers. Eminent sports journalist Gideon Haigh has authored Crossing the Line: How Australian Cricket Lost Its Way, On Warne and The Cricket War. In conversation with Keshava Guha, they discuss the spirit of the game and its evolving nature, including its digital avatar in the covid age and the change from Test cricket to the multi billion dollar enterprise of the Indian Premier League.

The Supreme Court of India has in recent times set on a... path of progressive societal reforms. Sex and the Supreme Court: How the Law is Upholding the Dignity of the Indian Citizen, edited by Saurabh Kirpal, is a collection of narratives that provide insight into landmark judgements that uphold the rights and liberties of sexual minorities and women in India. Justice Madan Lokur is a retired Supreme Court judge. Saurabh Kirpal is a lawyer and LGBTQ activist. Ritu Dalmia is a renowned celebrity chef and restaurateur and has stood up vigorously for LGBTQ rights. Well known journalist Namita Bhandare writes on gender and social issues. Together, they discuss the societal and political processes that led to these crucial judgements and the role of the highest court in maintaining the dignity, privacy and safety of all its citizens.

A session exploring resilience and innovation from the arts to the isolation... and extreme disruptions of the pandemic. Writers, artists and book lovers speak of responding to unforeseen challenges and the creativity and solidarity that rose to the fore through these difficult times.

The Ramcharitmanas is one of the greatest lyrical compositions in Indian literature.... Written in the 16th century by Tulsidas in Awadhi, which was the language of the masses rather than Sanskrit, it broke away from literary tradition and made Lord Ram more accessible and relatable to the layperson. The story of Lord Ram, however, is incomplete without referring to the strength, knowledge and perseverance of Goddess Sita and her central role within the narrative. In his recent work, The Greatest Ode to Lord Ram, writer, politician and former diplomat, Pavan K. Varma has selected some of the most inspiring stanzas and —offering a succinct commentary for each—that capture the very core of the original. Academic and author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's novel The Forest of Enchantments is an evocative telling of the Goddess Sita. Her innate strength is a testament to the power of the female. Together, they discuss the various philosophical aspects of the Ramcharitmanas and the characters that shine through.  

A compelling visual chronicle of one of India’s most celebrated contemporary artists,... A Portrait of the Artist in the World, introduces us to the inner world of Paresh Maity captured by the late celebrated photographer, Nemai Ghosh. Writer and art curator Ina Puri has provided the text for this masterpiece. Puri’s other latest work includes Kolkata by Raghu Rai. A Padma Shri, Maity is known for his outstanding work in the field of sculptures and watercolours. In a conversation with Kishore Singh, Maity and Puri bring forward the essence of this artistic narrative and discuss the journey and history it represents.

Sensational and often toxic coverage by electronic and print media interferes with... due process and judicial enquiry. Accused and victim alike suffer assaults upon their right to privacy and fair trial. In conversation with Indrani Bagchi, reputed journalists and media persons discuss the causes of this criminal responsibility and the ethical and legal framework required to contain this dangerous and despicable trend.  

"Belfast-based writer Jan Carson won accolades, including The European Union Prize for... Literature, Ireland, for her novel The Fire Starters. Her work is marked by caustic wit and lyrical style. The Fire Starters is a mediation on identity, culture and fatherhood, which weaves through the fluid lines between fantasy and truth and ideas of right and wrong. Carson's other work includes books such as Postcard Stories, Children's Children and Malcolm Orange Disappears. In a conversation with academic Jayanti Seth, Carson explores her writing practise, Irish literature and her deep interest in Agatha Christie. "

Award-winning author Manu Joseph’s novel Serious Men has recently been adapted by... Sudhir Mishra into a Netflix movie and stars the iconic Nawazuddin Siddiqui. It delves into the life of a man who unwittingly starts a chain of uncontrollable events as he attempts to promote the myth he has created around his son. Celebrated filmmaker Mishra speaks about the many layers of the film and its piercing look at a divided and aspirational India. In a conversation with Vani Tripathi Tikoo, he also discusses the experience of bringing this narrative onto an OTT platform and explores the story's many satirical levels of class, love, ego and ambition.

Author Rachel DeWoskin’s work draws heavily from the ideas of identity, culture... and the self. Exploring the peripheries and transnational experiences of humans across linguistic and physical boundaries, DeWoskin' latest works include the novel Banshee and the poetry collection Two Menus. In conversation with poet Ranjit Hoskote, she discusses her writing journey, exploring the landscapes of poetics and essence of narratives.

Unraveling a world hidden in plain sight, Michiel Baas’ Muscular India: Masculinity,... Mobility & the New Middle Class introduces us to the inner workings of the gyms of a ‘new India’. An opportunity of upward mobility for the trainers and specialists, these spaces also provide a break from the traditional masculinity represented by the pehlwans of the akharas. In a conversation with author Vivek Tejuja, Baas discusses the intricacies of the use of bodily capital to escape class barriers and the contradictions within a space that has taken India by storm.

From the era of the hunter-gatherers to contemporary world relations, Johan Norberg’s... Open: The Story of Human Progress takes us on a journey through time to analyse the key to human success. A stunning narration on the intrinsic human yearning for cooperation and profound need for belonging, Norberg presents a new framework of understanding history and dwells on why humans remain uneasy about openness. In conversation with Shruti Rajagopalan, he puts forward his views on why an open world and open economy is the need of the hour.

Versatile poet and writer Arundhathi Subramaniam conjures the essence of the spiritual... and the sublime through her writing practice. Subramaniam’s latest book of poems, Love Without A Story, circles the ideas of time, intimacy and the urgency of conversations. She has authored the acclaimed When God is A Traveller, Sadguru, More Than a Life, The Book of Buddha and co-authored Adiyogi: The Source of Yoga with Sadhguru. She has also edited Eating God: A Book of Bhakti Poetry. In conversation with author and journalist Rahul Pandita, she takes us on a journey through her words, inspirations and faith.

India’s leading food writer and celebrated television anchor Vir Sanghvi takes us... on a fascinating journey through his life and times with his sharp-eyed observations on changing society and challenges of a new political landscape. In conversation with journalist Pragya Tiwari, he talks about media and culture, food and memory, and the dynamics of a new India in the throes of transformation.

Lisa Taddeo’s latest book Three Women is a worldwide sensation, which explores... the intricate depths of the female heart in all its passion, heartbreak and intimacy. The book chronicles the emotional lives and loves of three American women with diverse backgrounds, from three different regions of the United States. In conversation with author Ira Trivedi, two-time Pushcart Prize-winning author and journalist Taddeo discusses the grim truths about desire and power, and how we perceive women.

Rural India continues to remain in the periphery of social and media... consciousness and agrarian protest and unrest get little media attention even at this moment of present crisis. In conversation with journalist Namita Bhandare, novelists Namita Waikar and Kota Neelima, whose narratives revolve around rural themes, examine the causes and consequences of this indifference and the issues that need to be consistently centre-staged to address this imbalance. A session that seeks to spotlight the crucial gaps in public perception and understanding as well as in the realtime coverage being given to these devastating issues.

Turkish novelist Defne Suman’s magical novel Silence of Scheherazade tells the intertwining... story of a Levantine, a Greek, a Turkish and an Armenian family in the turbulent years 1905 - 1922, told through the voice of a mysterious narrator, mute ‘Scheherazade’. In conversation with Manasi Subramaniam, the author speaks of this unforgettable story of a forgotten time and of the stories behind the stories.

Humans are a nomadic species and migrations remain a constant part of... the human experience. Presenting an eternal battle between the search for home versus the need for individual freedom, celebrated author Prajwal Parajuly’s Land Where I Flee has recently been shortlisted for France’s Emile Guimet Prize and provides an intrinsic view into the politics of caste, class, gender and sexuality in this story based in Gangtok. Parajuly has also authored The Gurkha's Daughter and has been a judge for the Dylan Thomas Prize. Parajuly navigates through exile and discovery, alienation and acceptance and how his own history has impacted his writing journey.

Location and landscape inform the work of Tishani Doshi and Carlo Pizzati.... In this evocative session, they talk about how the landscapes they share, the Little Dolomites of Northern Italy and the coast of Tamil Nadu, both ground and displace them, how exile, nostos, hiraeth and homecoming form bridges in their life and fiction.

The University of York and its student union join forces with JLF... Brave New World to launch a new engagement platform, York Ideas, to present a compelling talk by Naomi Klein on the urgent need to combat the profound global impacts of the intersection of the climate crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic. Klein, an acclaimed writer and activist, will present a mandate for action that includes an assessment of how Covid-19 offers us an opportunity to re-set how society might function in the future. Her talk will be accompanied by the first screening of a short film created by Molly Crabapple offering a beautiful evocation of how we can create a better future by thinking about how society might function differently. Join us to be stimulated, engaged and inspired about what might be possible for the future.

The ever-changing landscape of print media in a post-pandemic world is important.... When a generation of us have grown up with print as a medium, how do we work towards adapting our experience into an increasingly digital world?

A solo trek over 2700 kilometres through the Himalayas undertaken after the... death of his brother led author Jono Lineen through a spiritual journey across the mountainous terrain of Pakistan, Ladakh and India. His voyage became a cathartic experience of self-discovery and an important tool in overcoming profound grief. In conversation with Prajwal Parajuly, Lineen presents a vivid narrative of life and death, and the enduring power of the human spirit.

On #JLFBraveNewWorld, Samit Basu speaks to author and journalist Deepanjana Pal about... his latest book, ‘Chosen Spirits’. Shortlisted for the 2020 JCB Prize for Literature, the book presents a futuristic Delhi, lost to the control of mass surveillance and the catastrophic impact of technology.

Tanaz Bhathena, intrepid and inventive YA author, speaks with fellow writer Meenakshi... Madhavan Reddy about her latest work, 'Hunted by the Sky'. Together, they discuss the creative process of reaching out to young audiences, the overlap of myth and futurism, and the inspirations behind the compelling narrative of Bhathena’s new novel.

Jai Arjun Singh and Karthika Naïr discuss journeys from book to performance... and celluloid in their favourite adaptations, particularly, of epics. They delve into Naïr's experience in the shows she has scripted for Akram Khan, Tim Yip, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and other artists to reflect on the changes involved in bringing a work alive in a totally different medium, from the solitary freedom of the page to the creative hubbub of collaboration.

Two iconic Indian women writers speak of their different takes on family... life: one full of wit and humour, the other dark and overshadowed by pain and misunderstanding. In this conversation, the 2020 Booker Prize-shortlisted author Avni Doshi and actor and writer Diksha Basu discuss the nuances of love, friendship, betrayal, alienation and class conflict in their writing and give us a peek into their writing process.

Maaza Mengiste, who has made the 2020 Booker Prize shortlist, was born... in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A Fulbright scholar and professor at Queens College, she is the author of Beneath the Lion's Gaze and a 2018 recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship. Here, she talks to Nandini Nair about her new novel, The Shadow King.

How can the individual come into harmony with the knowledge of his... own fragility? The first-person narrator in The Sad Guest, the latest work from renowned German author Matthias Nawrat, must grapple with just this eternal question. Through his encounters with an existential architect, a struggling, alcoholic ex-doctor, and other recollections of his travels, this narrator encourages us to explore the space of possibility between loss of homeland, euphoria of departure, and ceaseless longing. In conversation with poet Jonaki Ray, Matthias Nawrat discusses his portrait of the conflicts of the modern condition, and guides us through the influences and intricacies within his latest novel.

Frequently shifting between the registers of the self, the city-street, the nation... and the cosmic horizon, Jitish Kallat’s art is a speculative field of inquiry interspersed with the concept of time, sustenance, recursion and historical recall. In a conversation with the Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs at The Museum of Modern Art, Sarah Suzuki, Kallat takes us on a journey of his creative process and his wide-ranging artistic preoccupations.

A selection of perspectives on the complicated dynamics in geopolitics in the... current world order, curated from various insightful JLF Brave New World discussions. This episode will feature a host of brilliant speakers including Pulitzer prize-winner and Staff-writer at The Atlantic and a senior fellow at Johns Hopkins University, Anne Applebaum, former Indian ambassador to China, Gautam Bambawale, economist, urban theorist and historian Sanjeev Sanyal, journalist Vikram Chandra, Suhasini Haidar, Diplomatic Affairs Editor of The Hindu, and Senior Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation and Head of its Economy and Growth Programme, Mihir S. Sharma.

Alain de Botton is a Swiss-British writer and philosopher whose Essays in... Love has sold more than two million copies. In conversation with Anindita Ghose, he talks about his life and work, and his thoughts on living under lockdown.

Irish author Donal Ryan explores the muses, methods and inspirations behind his... latest work, Strange Flowers, a story that paints the beautiful and devastating life of despairing parents, their missing daughter, and what – or who – she brings with her upon her astonishing return. It is an intricate depiction of loss, alienation and the redemptive power of love; reaffirming Ryan as one of the most talented and empathetic writers in the modern literary world. He has been the recipient of numerous prizes and awards including the 2015 EU Prize for literature for his Spinning Heart.

The inventive Finnish author, Selja Ahava, takes viewers through her prolific career... spanning from scriptwriting for film, TV and radio to her EU Prize-winning novel, Things that Fall from the Sky, as well as how her work for the screen has influenced her craft. In conversation with fellow author and scriptwriter Anu Singh Choudhary, Ahava explores the creative impulse behind her work and the spaces from which her stories emerge, from whales in London to a husband’s sudden disappearances to all of the sky’s bewildering falling objects.

Join us for a free live stream event with iconic author Kevin... Kwan, in conversation with Houston author Sarah Choi, to kick off the new Inprint season, presented in collaboration with JLF/Brave New World. Details on how to access the live stream will be provided to you when you order a free ticket, in your Eventbrite ticket receipt.

In his philosophical masterpiece “On the Nature of Things,” written around 50 B.C.E.,... Lucretius devoted particular attention to Pandemics. Here the Pulitzer prize-winning Professor of English at Harvard talks to writer, historian, and translator of Lucretius, Tom Holland, about what the Roman sage can tell us about disease and lockdowns.

Peter Carey is one of only five writers to win the Booker twice... and is frequently named as Australia's next contender for the Nobel Prize. Here he talks about his life in writing  in conversation with Chandrahas Choudhury

Elizabeth Gilbert is the No.1 New York Times bestselling author of the global... hit Eat, Pray, Love as well as the short story collection Pilgrims, a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award and winner of the 1999 John C. Zacharis First Book Award from Ploughshares. A Pushcart Prize winner and National Magazine Award-nominated journalist, she works as writer-at-large for GQ. Her journalism has been published in Harper's Bazaar, Spin and The New York Times Magazine, and her stories have appeared in Esquire, Story and the Paris Review. Here, she talks about her life in writing with Avni Doshi.

Lessons from the life and teachings of the 14th Dalai Lama, where he... shares his profound wisdom with JLF Brave New World. In conversation with Pico Iyer, His Holiness speaks of finding love and peace in our confused, divided and chaotic world, and of the universal value of compassion in these troubled times.

Friendship is a country. Separated by continents, 30 years apart in age,... different in birth cultures and languages, Gloria and Ruchira will talk about how and why their lives are interwoven in an adventure of friendship.

At a moment of overwhelming change, the master essayist and novelist Pico... Iyer takes us into the heart of stillness and changelessness. In conversation with publisher Meru Gokhale, he shares the secrets of solitude and the learnings of silence, so essential to survive our strange times.

One of the greatest writers of our times, Margaret Atwood speaks of... the power of language, the science of storytelling and the challenges of the present.

With his fabulous restaurants and bestselling Ottolenghi Cookbooks, Yotam Ottolenghi has established... himself as one of the most exciting talents in the world of cookery and food writing. Ottolenghi’s food inspiration comes from his strong Mediterranean background and his unapologetic love of ingredients. Not a vegetarian himself, his approach to vegetable dishes is wholly original and innovative, based on strong flavours and stunning, fresh combinations. Here, he talks to award-winning food writer and chef Ravinder Bhogal about his life and work and what we should be cooking to keep sane during lockdown.

Elif Shafak is an award-winning novelist and the most widely read female... writer in Turkey. She is also a women's rights activist and an inspirational public intellectual and speaker. Her most recent book was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Here, she talks to Janice Pariat about her life and work.

Akbar was the most admired of all the Mughals and one of... only two Indian rulers to be widely known as ‘The Great’ but before Ira Mukhoty’s writings, he has been without a modern biography. Here Mukhoty talks about her groundbreaking study with fellow historian Manu S. Pillai.

Canadian poet, illustrator and author Rupi Kaur touches a visceral chord in... audiences around the world. She joins us at JLF Brave New World to read from her verses and share thoughts with fellow editor in chief of ELLE and author of 'A Cool, Dark Place', Supriya Dravid, on her poetry, her process and how she has channelled her creativity in the times of COVID to connect with her audiences through ‘freewriting’.

Two Indian women writers speak of their different takes on family life:... one full of wit and humour, the other dark and overshadowed by pain and misunderstanding. In this conversation, the 2020 Man Booker longlisted author Avni Doshi and actor and writer Diksha Basu discuss the nuances of love, friendship, betrayal, alienation and class conflict in their work and give us a peek into their writing process.

An element of drama has always attended Rupert Everett, even before he... swept to fame with his outstanding performance in Another Country. He has spent his life surrounded by extraordinary people and witnessed extraordinary events. He was in Moscow during the fall of communism, in Berlin the night the wall came down and in downtown Manhattan on September 11th. By the age of 17, he was friends with Andy Warhol and Bianca Jagger, and since then he has been up close and personal with some of the most famous women in the world: Julia Roberts, Madonna, Sharon Stone and Donatella Versace. A superb raconteur and a keen observer of human folly (especially his own), Everett turns his life into a captivating story of love, fame, glamour, gossip and drama.

Silicon Valley has almost single handedly shouldered the shift in our lifestyles... - social, personal or professional - during the pandemic. David C. Brock, Director of the Software History Center at the Computer History Museum, speaks to writer and academic Arun Mohan Sukumar on Big Tech and Silicon Valley’s history and culture of innovation. They will also discuss the paradox of how, although digital technologies have brought the world closer ,  the US is attempting to reduce the very immigration that was responsible for much of the creative stimulus to these industries. An essential conversation for our times.

What does it mean to forge your own path, and how far... and wide can that path take you? In Intan Paramaditha’s avant-garde adventure story, the reader is invited to blaze their own trail, to wander everywhere and nowhere, and through it all, to question, where – and what – is home? Through The Wandering, this session invites us to explore the politics of travel, turmoil and desire, the freedom and limitations within each of our choices, and the spirit of global nomadism that forever lives at our core.

From Sylvia Plath to Elvis Costello, Frank Critchlow to Bob Geldof, Zaha... Hadid to James Dyson, David Attenborough to the Beatles; each one of them has contributed in shaping the story of the modern United Kingdom. Andrew Marr is a leading British journalist, and one of the most visible faces on BBC television, as well as the author of the recently released book is Elizabethans: How Modern Britain Was Forged . In this conversation with Swapan Dasgupta, Marr discusses the living history of modern Britain and reveals how artists, innovators and activists define the new era and how Britain's past has shaped the eighties and the nineties.

A session that discusses how Asia can search for a constructive new... equilibrium in the face of the growing tensions between China and its neighbours. Author, political scientist and politician Bruno Macaes and diplomat, writer and former National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon speak of the deeper implications of China’s imperial overstretch and the geopolitics and global influences of the new Great Game playing out at Asia’s doorstep.

Multinational corporations are being shut overnight with a single tweet, Facebook has... grown bigger than any state, robots are battling for elections, coders and hackers are writing policies and algorithms are shaping our lives in more than unimaginable ways. Carl Miller's Transmission Prize-winning 'The Death of the Gods' reveals the fascinating and often hidden characters of the digital realm that are changing the world. In this timely and incisive session, Miller, co-founder of the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media, explores power in the age of digital media and traces how it is being transformed, fought over, lost and won.

Writer and translator Paulo Lemos Horta has written on the cultural and... literary history of the Arabian Nights and of the travellers, translators and storytellers who gave the world these unforgettable tales in his 'Marvellous Thieves: Secret Authors of the Arabian Nights' and his more recent 'Aladdin: A New Translation'. In 'Aladdin', Horta takes us on a dazzling journey, interweaving and reinventing the dark themes and enchanting whimsy of a classic that has transfixed us for ages. In conversation with Festival producer Sanjoy K. Roy, Horta speaks of the stories, along with the stories behind the stories,to provide a fascinating glimpse of the great cultural reservoir of Arab, Persian and Indian narratives, bringing the literary process to life.

Stephen Fry is one of the world's best-known actors and comedians. But... when he arrived at Cambridge, he was a convicted thief, an addict and a failed suicide, convinced that he would be expelled. Instead, university life offered him love and the chance to entertain. He befriended bright young things like Hugh Laurie and actress Emma Thompson. Here, Fry talks about his life and work with 'Mint Lounge' editor Anindita Ghose as he tells the hilarious and compelling story of how he took his first step in the worlds of theatre, radio, television and film.

Celebrated Zoroastrian novelist Bapsi Sidhwa speaks to writer and feminist publisher Urvashi... Butalia about her creative journey across cultures, continents and chronicles, and what she calls her ‘Punjabi-Pakistani -Parsi’ roots. Her novels 'Ice Candy Man' and 'Water: A Novel' were adapted by Deepa Mehta for the acclaimed films 'Earth and Water. A bio-pic' , 'Bapsi: The Silences of My Life' is currently in production.

To celebrate the milestone 100th episode of JLF Brave New World, MacArthur... ‘Genius’ and Booker Prize-winning author of 'Lincoln in the Bardo', George Saunders shares insights into the mosaic of his prolific life and genre-bending body of work. In conversation with writer Amitava Kumar, Saunders, the master of modern fiction, discusses the state of contemporary literature, its relation with power and politics, and the place of darkness and kindness in stories today.

A selection of perspectives on Covid-19 & the post-pandemic future as discussed... on JLF Brave New World. This episode will feature Pulitzer prize-winning Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee, Chair of Infectious Diseases at Imperial College London Ajit Lalvani, New Zealand-based writer, surgeon and physician Dr. Sharad Paul, intrepid animal welfare professional Grace Ge Gabriel, Executive Chairperson of Biocon Limited Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and vascular surgeon and writer Ambarish Satwik.

For 70 years, India has tended to look at Pakistan as its... main strategic rival and potential enemy but recent events in Xinjiang, Hong Kong and on the Line of Control in Ladakh have given many pause for thought. China has a larger population and economy than India and a more modern array of weaponry equipping its army. Should India be worried? Have our strategic thinkers been looking in the wrong direction? Professor of the History and Politics of Modern China at Oxford University, Rana Mitter, British Indian China-watcher and author of new book 'China’s Good War', cuts through the mythology and separates truth from fiction in conversation with William Dalrymple.

A session evoking textile narratives, the stories they tell and the memories... they hold with celebrated designer Ritu Kumar and Managing Director of Etsy India, Himanshu Wardhan. Ritu Kumar has been at the forefront of the fashion industry for over three decades and her brand has played an integral role in reviving textile skills and providing employment to hundreds of artisans. Himanshu Wardhan's key focus has been to empower the creative community and to connect micro-entrepreneurs from different parts of the country to the world. In conversation with Supriya Dravid. 

Iconic Malayalam writer Paul Zacharia presents his first English novel, A Secret History... of Compassion. Zacharia’s body of literary works includes short stories, novellas, travelogues, screenplays, essays, columns and children’s books. His latest novel examines his relationship with the Left and the vocabulary of social justice. In conversation with writer Anupama Raju, who has translated some of his recent stories, Zacharia speaks of bilinguality, the pursuit of pure storytelling and the method behind his literary madness. 

An exploration of the prolific life and creative journey of Ian McEwan,... featured by The Times on their list of ‘The 50 Greatest British Writers since 1945’. A six-time Man Booker nominee, McEwan won the 1998 Prize for Amsterdam. This session will take viewers through the author and screenwriter’s iconic works such as Amsterdam and Atonement. This session will also discuss his most recent novel Machines Like Me and the political messages, macabre portrayals, alternate timelines and themes of artificiality within.  

In conversation with historian Yasmin Khan, David Olusoga describes how Europe's Great... War became the World's War – a multi-racial, multi-national struggle, fought in Africa and Asia as well as in Europe, which pulled in men and resources from across the globe, especially India. Throughout, they expose the complex, shocking paraphernalia of the era's racial obsessions, which dictated which men would serve, how they would serve and to what degree they would suffer. As vivid and moving as it is revelatory and authoritative, The World's War explores the experiences and sacrifices of four million non-European, non-white people whose stories have remained too long in the shadows.     Olusoga has been a prominent commentator on the Black Lives Matter movement and will also make reference to recent events in America and the UK following the death of George Floyd, the toppling of the statue of Edward Colston and the wider questions of what to do with the legacy of colonialism.

Anita Nair is a bestselling Indian writer of works such as Ladies Coupé, Lessons... in Forgetting, Idris: Keeper of the Light and Eating Wasps. In conversation with the multi-faceted bestselling author Ashok Ferrey, she takes us through the inspirations and teachings of her creative journey, spanning from the anchor of her Malayali roots, to the range of her prolific literary repertoire spanning from fiction and poetry to children’s books and travel writing, to the fundamental nature of writers and all those who strive to tell stories.    

Tarun Tahiliani speaks of his signature fusion of traditional aesthetics and contemporary... design. A conversation with Himanshu Wardhan and Nonita Kalra on the shifting definitions of luxury and the impetus to make quality and excellence accessible through digital outreach .

Brian Keenan became headline news when he was kidnapped by Shi’ite militiamen... in 1985 and held hostage in Beirut for four and a half years. The intensity and horror of that traumatic encounter is recounted in An Evil Cradling. His next book, I’ll Tell Me Ma, is a memoir about growing up in Belfast. In conversation with writer, journalist and human rights activist Salil Tripathi, he speaks of the trauma of incarceration and the will to survive. 

Explore the incredible creative journey of author Ravinder Singh. Nishtha Gautam takes... us through his prolific life, from software engineering and writing best selling modern romance to his latest eSingles series, '#WithLoveRavinder'.

An award-winning writer and broadcaster, Howard Jacobson’s novels include 'The Mighty Walzer',... winner of the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize, 'Kalooki Nights', longlisted for the Man Booker Prize, the highly acclaimed 'The Act of Love' and the Man Booker Prize 2010-winning 'The Finkler Question'. Here, in conversation with Chandrahas Choudhury, he talks about his life in writing and his latest novel, 'Live a Little', a wickedly observed novel about falling in love at the end of your life. Told with Jacobson’s trademark wit and style, it is in equal parts funny, irreverent and tender – a novel to make you consider all the paths not taken and whether you could still change course.  

Scholar, artiste and danseuse Sonal Mansingh’s passion for her art is matched... by her passion for life. In conversation with Sunit Tandon, the cultural icon and Rajya Sabha MP speaks of the theory and practice of classical dance and its place in the collective consciousness of India. She takes the legacy of three dance forms—Bharatnatyam, Odissi and Chhau—and interprets them for JLF Brave New World.

The wildlife conservationist couple, Rom Whitaker and Janaki Lenin, invite us to... explore the hidden wonders of the natural kingdom. Discover the secrets of the giraffe’s astonishing neck, the song of the female nightingale, the eggs of timid glass frogs and the evolution of bearded dragons though 'Every Creature Has a Story' by Janaki Lenin in this enchanting session.

Economist, urban theorist and historian Sanjeev Sanyal and journalist Vikram Chandra navigate... us across the choppy waters of the Indian Ocean, through the past and present. Seeking perspectives through the lens of geopolitics, they speak of the key trade routes for seaborne cargo and the maritime leverage that is attached to them, especially in these conflicted times. 

A session that uncovers the core of poetic inspiration. Stephen Sexton, in... discussion with Elaine Canning, explores his acclaimed debut poetry collection, 'If All the World and Love Were Young'. Love, loss, memory, childhood, imagination, and grief, Sexton’s verses convey the anguish of a mother’s death through the levels of the classic video game ‘Super Mario World'.

Fear of the unknown is the most debilitating of emotions. Mythologist and... mesmeric storyteller Devdutt Pattanaik speaks to editor and publisher Meru Gokhale of the inevitable nature of change and the archetypes of fear that have to be overcome to deal with the realities of life as they are dealt out to us. 

At a time when the human species confronts a pandemic, the planet... faces the challenges posed by a warming Earth . How do we address the disproportionate impact of climate change on the poor and societies that have benefited least from the carbon economy? Economist, politician and environmentalist Jairam Ramesh and climate, water and environmental expert Marcus Moench discuss governmental and institutional responses to the implications of these linked crises and ask if and how we can survive and thrive together.

Andrew Sean Greer’s relentless lampooning of the literary world , Less won... the 2018 Pulitzer prize for fiction. This novel about a novelist tells us about ‘the crazy quilt of a writer’s life: warm enough, though it never quite covers the toes.’ Here, he speaks of the highs and lows of the writing life, of the doubts and epiphanies in the constant struggle for experience and self expression, and what it means to be writing about writing.

Anxiety and stress are the order of the day. Transactional analyst and... counsellor Anna Chandy and Shelja Sen, narrative therapist, author and co-founder Children First, speak of strategies of coping at a time when the pressures of the lockdown affect children and parents, as also the lonely and the isolated. A crucial conversation for our times.

The asymmetrical power structures across cultures and continents have only been further... reinforced in the times of the pandemic, as individual and societal conflicts deepen by the day. Here political philosopher and public intellectual John Ralston Saul speaks of the need to address these imbalances, through dialogue and negotiation, reconciliation and restitution.

The legendary poet, folklorist, translator and scholar AK Ramanujan left an indelible... mark on the understanding and appreciation of Indian literature around the world. After his premature death in 1993, Ramanujan’s personal journals, diaries and notes, referred to as the ‘AKR Papers’, remained with the University of Chicago until his son Krishna Ramanujan and Guillermo Rodriguez edited them. Published as Journeys: A Poet’s Diary, they take us to the heart of the poet scholar’s vision and work. Krishna Ramanujan is a science writer at Cornell University. Rodriguez is the Founding Director of Casa de la India and the author of When Mirrors are Windows: A View of A.K. Ramanujan’s Poetics. Together , they bring Ramanujan’s luminous aesthetics to life.

Are we sleepwalking into the AI future ? Professor of Artificial Intelligence... Toby Walsh examines the impact of AI on the uncertain present and fast-evolving future, where AI applications are embedded in every aspect of human life, and discusses the need for strategic thinking to protect and promote human rights in the context of new technologies. In this fascinating conversation with the author of Tech Whisperer, Jaspreet Bindra, he speaks of these crucial choices and interventions to ensure that the human race remains in control of its narrative.

Indian women’s participation in the workplace is decreasing, with the pandemic creating... further fault-lines. A rebalance in the workforce could help kickstart economic growth and also pay social dividends. Lakshmi Puri and Pragya Tiwari discuss the evolution of the concepts of women’s work and women at work , under-representation of women in formal workforce and devaluation of their work, flagging the causes and consequences of the roadblocks they face as well as the way forward to correct these imbalances.

Award-winning and bestselling author, software developer, distinguished academic, Vikram Chandra takes us... through his many lives as he discusses his many obsessions – writing, coding, literature, digital narratives, Sanskrit texts and so much more, with Devapriya Roy.

A session that explores the beauty, adaptability and fluidity of India’s most... iconic garment. Writer and anthropologist Mukulika Banerjee has co-authored The Sari. Malika Verma has spearheaded The Sari : An Anthropology of Drape. Together, they speak of their relationship and connection with the sari and it’s timeless history. Introduced by Rta Kapur Chishti.

Nepal and India are bound together by ties of history and common... cultural heritage. A timely session with author and thought leader Sujeev Shakya and writer and diplomat Navtej Sarna on the economic and geopolitical realities of the region, and the need and impetus to reinforce the ties of friendship in these fraught times.

In the art of the Islam and Christianity, the sensuous is often... seen to be opposed to the sacred but this is certainly not the case in Hindu art. Vidya Dehejia, one of India’s most engaging and distinguished art historians, who has written extensively on the body, love and sensuality in Indian art addresses the issue, in conversation with William Dalrymple

Megha Majumdar’s dazzling debut novel A Burning examines the aspirations, heartbreaks and... tragedies of three tangled lives in present day Kolkata. She speaks with editor Manasi Subramaniam about her new book, literary fiction and the craft of writing.

Former Indian ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale and National Editor and Diplomatic... Affairs Editor of the Hindu Suhasini Haidar speak of India China equations in terms of history and geopolitics and examine the changing posture and calibrated aggression of the Chinese Dream

Catch writer Shobhaa De in an intimate interaction with her daughter Anandita... De. The heart-warming, no-holds-barred conversation has them discuss her new e-book, Lockdown Liaisons, and share their takes on the charged emotional and social realities of the pandemic.

Anubhav Sinha talks to Vani Tripathi Tikoo of the idiom, metaphor and... language of film. A heart to heart conversation on his cinematic career, his convictions and the future of the cinematic image.

Neil Gaiman is the English author of short fiction, novels, comic books,... graphic novels, -, audio theatre, and films. He is also one of the most beloved and popular writers in India. Here, he talks to Nilanjana S. Roy about his life and work, and how he is surviving under lockdown.

Ruth Vanita has done groundbreaking work on gender, sexuality and women’s rights.... She speaks to writer journalist Sandip Roy, author of Don’t Let Him Know about her evocative new novel Memory of Light on same sex love in the last century. Together, they discuss the impact of LGBT literature, and the narratives it flags, on their own writing and sensibility.

An important session that examines the deep philosophy and continuing relevance of... the Ramcharitmanas, written by Goswami Tulsidas in Awadhi in the 16th century. Diplomat, author and ex MP Pavan K. Varma discusses his new book on the subject with politician and writer Shashi Tharoor as they follow the pathbreaking text and its deep impact on Indian culture and society.

Every season is celebrated in India through its poetry, music and art.... As the rainclouds spread their shadows, acclaimed music historian Dr. Katherine Schofield and accomplished vocalist and writer Vidya Shah speak of the power and splendour of the monsoon ragas and the stories and emotions behind them.

Lessons from the life and teachings of the 14th Dalai Lama, where... he shares his profound wisdom with JLF Brave New World. In conversation with Pico Iyer, His Holiness speaks of finding love and peace in our confused, divided and chaotic world, and of the universal value of compassion in these troubled times.

Award-winning economic historian Niall Ferguson, who is the Milbank Family Senior Fellow... at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, and a senior faculty fellow of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard, is one of the world's most admired, prolific and controversial historians. Ferguson's detailed study of economic data on the pandemic tracks the path and predicts the future of today's world crisis. Maya Jasanoff is the Coolidge Professor of History at Harvard University and author of three books that have won her the Duff Cooper Prize, the National Book Critics Circle Award, the George Washington Book Prize, a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Windham–Campbell Literature Prize and the Cundill History Prize. Her teaching and research extend from the history of the British Empire to global history and examine the dynamics of modern globalisation. In a riveting conversation, Ferguson and Jasanoff delve into the history of pandemics and share their perspectives on one of the most pressing questions of our time.

"Brave New World marks Bloomsday, 16 June, with a special session celebrating... James Joyce’s great modernist masterpiece, Ulysses. Two of the greatest living Irish writers discuss the influence of Joyce and Irish literature with Booker shortlisted poet and novelist, Jeet Thayil. The great Irish poet, Paul Muldoon, has previously adapted The Dead as an immersive play with his wife, Jean Hanff Korelitz. Colm Tóibín, arguably Ireland’s greatest living novelist, recently wrote Mad, Bad, Dangerous to Know about the fathers of Yeats, Joyce and Wilde, and their influence on Ireland’s most famous writers. Together, the three writers look at the influence of Joyce and why Ulysses still matters today. "

Even as the medical establishment battles the virus, there are rifts and... contradictions within. Vascular surgeon and writer Ambarish Satwik speaks with literary translator Arunava Sinha about the terrors of the pandemic across the perspectives of history and literature as well as in the present tense

Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish is a Palestinian-Canadian physician and an internationally recognised humanitarian,... human rights and inspirational peace activist. He has dedicated his life to using health as a vehicle for peace, and, despite all odds, succeeded, aided by a great determination of spirit, strong faith, and a stalwart belief in hope and family. Dr. Abuelaish’ s book, I Shall Not Hate: A Gaza Doctor’s Journey on the Road to Peace and Human Dignity, an autobiography of his loss and transformation, has achieved worldwide critical acclaim. Published in 2010, currently in 24 different languages, and inspired by the loss of his three daughters – Bessan, Mayar, and Aya – and their cousin Noor to Israeli shelling on 16 January, 2009, the book has become an international and national bestseller. It has also become a testament to his commitment to forgiveness as the solution to conflict and the catalyst towards peace. In a moving and inspirational conversation with writer and journalist Marie Brenner, Abuelaish takes us through a saga of hatred and love, loss and forgiveness, despair and hope.

As millions of Indian citizens trudge home, braving every vicissitude with courage... and fortitude, Barkha Dutt examines her heartbreaking journey and the societal lapses that set the stage for this tragic march. In conversation with Pragya Tiwari

Maja Lunde’s latest cli-fi novel, The End of the Ocean, explores the... threat of a devastating worldwide drought, witnessed through the lives of a father, a daughter and a woman who will risk her life to save the future. The bestselling Norwegian author speaks to Catharine Morris about the climate crisis and how she mirrors nature and its disruptions in her fiction.

At a time of a global pandemic and a century which has... seen turmoil and progress in equal measure, the one feature that stands out is how unprepared the human race is for both man-made and natural calamities. Scholar and critical theorist Homi K. Bhabha speaks to Sanjoy K. Roy about this pandemic of being unprepared and dwells on the future as well as the importance of the common good versus the self.

Chigozie Obioma, the Nigerian writer described as ‘the heir to Chinua Achebe’,... is the author of The Fisherman and An Orchestra of Minorities, which was shortlisted for the Booker prize in 2019. Told from the perspective of the protagonist Chinonso’s 700 year old ‘chi’, or spirit in the Igbo tradition, the novel speaks of the mythologies as well as the realities of love. In conversation with writer and academic Aruni Kashyap, Obioma speaks of his books, telling us why he writes, and for whom.

Maaza Mengiste was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A Fulbright scholar and... professor at Queens College, she is the author of ‘Beneath the Lion's Gaze’ and a 2018 recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. Here, she talks to Nandini Nair about her new novel, ‘The Shadow King’. 

A compelling conversation on how a few tiny cells become the fantastically... complex whole that is a fully formed human. Roger Highfield, Science Director of the Science Museum Group and Magdalena Zernicka Goetz, Caltech and University of Cambridge developmental biologist, take us through a moving celebration of the balletic beauty of life's beginnings, as they discuss their co-authored and critically-acclaimed work, ‘The Dance of Life - Symmetry, Cells, and How We Become Human’.

Food is an intangible trigger of feelings and emotions. Celebrity chef and... restaurateur Asma Khan alongside writer and translator Rakhshanda Jalil speak movingly of the bonds of food and memory, friendship and community, across cultures and continents, and in the special places they call home.

Zanny Minton Beddoes, editor-in-chief of The Economist, speaks to Senior Fellow at... the Observer Research Foundation, Mihir S. Sharma, on the current economic scenario and the fast-changing world around us. Join us for a session on how the world must find its feet on the ground in a post-COVID world.

Laura Cumming's book On Chapel Sands: My Mother and Other Missing Persons... was one of the big nonfiction hits of last year, and was shortlisted for a swathe of major prizes. Here, she discusses unearthing family secrets with fellow author Raghu Karnad.

Madhuri Vijay’s award winning debut novel charts a journey of discovery from... Bangalore to the distant and conflicted landscapes of Kashmir. In conversation with Mita Kapur she speaks of the craft of fiction and shares her inspirations and learnings while writing her first book.

Erling Kagge is a multifaceted Norwegian explorer, entrepreneur, author, art collector and... publisher. He speaks with writer and journalist Ã…sne Seierstad about his travels and adventures, and the power of silence in an always-on world.

Dara Shukoh's tolerance towards other faiths and the myths and anecdotes surrounding... him, continue to fuel the popular imagination. Even today, over 350 years after his death, the debate rages on: if this 'good' Mughal had ascended the throne instead of his pugnacious younger brother, Aurangzeb, how would that have changed the course of Indian history? In conversation with Ira Mukhoty, Supriya Gandhi discusses the story of the two most loved Mughals and asks why is there such ambiguity about the Mughals in India today?

India’s most beloved and prolific storyteller tells of his incredible journey. Ruskin... Bond, who has penned over a 100 books, joins Namita Gokhale in an inspirational session to share his vision of the joy, spontaneity and clarity he brings to his writing and his life

Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo were awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize... for their work on poverty alleviation. They speak of the human toll of the pandemic in the world economy and the global south, and discuss measures and strategies to fight back the catastrophe, including the concept of a universal ultra basic income.

Elizabeth Gilbert is the No.1 New York Times bestselling author of the... global hit Eat, Pray, Love as well as the short story collection Pilgrims, a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award and winner of the 1999 John C. Zacharis First Book Award from Ploughshares. A Pushcart Prize winner and National Magazine Award-nominated journalist, she works as writer-at-large for GQ. Her journalism has been published in Harper's Bazaar, Spin and The New York Times Magazine, and her stories have appeared in Esquire, Story and the Paris Review. Here, she talks about her life in writing with Avni Doshi.

Elif Shafak is an award-winning novelist and the most widely read female... writer in Turkey. She is also a women's rights activist and an inspirational public intellectual and speaker. Her most recent book was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Here, she talks to Janice Pariat about her life and work

Tahmima Anam is the award-winning writer of the trilogy A Golden Age,... The Good Muslim and The Bones of Grace. Together with writer and journalist Sandip Roy, she takes us on a journey of her writing process under lockdown and dwells on the importance of the written word in such perilous times.

Friendship is a country. Separated by continents, 30 years apart in age,... different in birth cultures and languages, Gloria and Ruchira will talk about how and why their lives are interwoven in an adventure of friendship.

Susan Sontag was one of America’s great literary stars. Her brilliant mind,... political activism and striking image made her an emblem of the seductions and the dangers of the 20th-century world. Her writing on art and politics, feminism and homosexuality, celebrity and style, medicine and drugs, Fascism and Freudianism, Communism and Americanism, reflected the conflicted meanings of a most conflicted word: modernity. Pulitzer Prize winner Benjamin Moser tells the Sontag story in conversation with Chiki Sarkar.

Canadian poet, illustrator and author Rupi Kaur touches a visceral chord in... audiences around the world. Here, she reads from her verses and shares thoughts on her poetry, her process and how she has channelled her creativity in the times of Covid-19 to connect with her audiences through ‘freewriting’, with editor-in-chief of ELLE and author of A Cool, Dark Place, Supriya Dravid.

Ancient Indian mathematics and astronomy were well ahead of their time as... Aryabhata and Brahmagupta pioneered the decimal and numeric system we use today. Here, theoretical physicist, author and broadcaster, Jim al- Khalili talks to William Dalrymple about their discoveries and how that reached the rest of the world via Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi in Abbasid Baghdad and Fibonacci in Renaissance Florence.

An important conversation about the uncertainty and anxiety that has become a... collateral of our times, and the power of focus and attention to shape our thoughts, as we sit with our screens in isolation, trying to stay sane. Casey Schwartz’s new book, Attention: A Love Story, is both a personal account and one that seeks inspiration from phenomenal writers such as Aldous Huxley, William James and Simone Weil. Amrita Tripathi has recently co-authored Real Stories of Dealing with Depression, which works towards de-stigmatising mental illness in India.

A crucial conversation on the need for clear-eyed thinking and compassionate leadership... with New Zealand-based writer, surgeon and physician Dr. Sharad Paul speaking to Sanjoy K. Roy about the medical and human dimensions of the Covid-19 pandemic.

With his fabulous restaurants and bestselling Ottolenghi Cookbooks, Yotam Ottolenghi has established... himself as one of the most exciting talents in the world of cookery and food writing. Here, he talks to award-winning food writer and chef Ravinder Bhogal about his life and work and what we should be cooking to keep sane during lockdown.

Orhan Pamuk is the author of many celebrated books, including The White... Castle, Istanbul and Snow. In 2003, he won the International IMPAC Award for My Name is Red and in 2006 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Here he talks to Chandrahas Choudhury about his life and work.

Two prominent Indian American authors speak of their writing, and the inspirations... they draw from myth and memory to understand and articulate the present and the future. A fascinating conversation with trailblazing novelist Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and multifaceted writer, poet and radiologist Amit Majmudar.

The coronavirus crisis has accelerated the fusion between cyberspace and the real... world. Marcus du Sautoy gives us glimpses of what is to come in the future between technology, artificial intelligence and what we call reality.

Yours, Virally Viruses are all around us, and as we have been... made rather dramatically aware, even within us. Join natural history writer Pranay Lal and journalist Pratik Kanjilal to understand the story from the virus's point of view, while exploring what lies ahead for both viruses and humans.

A crucial session on the unpredictable scenario after the ‘peak virus’ stage... with Parag Khanna explaining global economic fragmentation, ‘red zone’ geographies and how regionalisation may be the new globalisation.

In conversation with William Dalrymple, former Monty Python stalwart and beloved television... globe-trotter Michael Palin brings the fascinating story of HMS Erebus and its occupants to life, from its construction as a bomb vessel in 1826 through the flagship years of James Clark Ross’s Antarctic expedition and finally to Sir John Franklin’s quest for the holy grail of navigation—a route through the Northwest Passage, where the ship disappeared for more than 150 years to be rediscovered under the Arctic waters in 2014.

Two eminent scientists examine the frontlines of the world’s battle with the... COVID-19 virus and share their perspectives on different dimensions of the pandemic. Roger Highfield, Science Director of the Science Museum Group, in conversation with Ajit Lalvani, Chair of Infectious Diseases at Imperial College London, who recently recovered from a serious case of coronavirus.

The groundbreaking musician, writer and activist speaks with journalist Maya Mirchandani of... his latest book, where the metaphor of the ‘mridangam’ and its cultural history takes us on a journey across the structural inequalities of power and public performance. A deep discussion for our virtual times on society, tradition and art.

Based on his award-winning play The Audience, Peter Morgan turned the life of... Queen Elizabeth II from the 1940s to modern times into one of the most successful television shows of all time, winning Golden Globes and Emmys along with extraordinary global viewing figures. Here, he talks about how he wrote the jewel in the Netflix crown. 

An important and urgent conversation between Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Executive Chairperson, Biocon Limited,... and writer and journalist Samanth Subramanian on the challenges of the pandemic and India’s response to it. They discuss the way forward , and the opportunities the crisis throws up for India to emerge as a global hub for the life sciences

Dedicated wildlife conservationist Vivek Menon and intrepid animal welfare professional Grace Ge... Gabriel speak about live wildlife markets and the risks of zoonotic diseases and pathogens that they pose to humans while endangering several species of wildlife.  A crucial conversation on the clear and present danger of rampant illegal trade and sale of wildlife that has been highlighted by the COVID pandemic and its origins in China’s Wuhan wet markets.

In his first book, Mountains of the Mind, award-winning travel writer Robert Macfarlane wrote... about the fear and fascination generated in the human heart by height. In his latest masterpiece, Underland he explores the deepest depths of the Earth in conversation with William Dalrymple: “I have rarely felt as far from the human realm,” Macfarlane writes, “as when only 10 metres below it, held in the shining jaws of a limestone bedding plane first formed on the floor of a warm Cretaceous sea.” 

Staff writer at The Atlantic and a senior fellow at Johns Hopkins... University, Anne Applebaum, who won the Pulitzer Prize for her history of the Gulag, talks to Senior Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, Mihir S. Sharma, about how around the globe the new wave of right wing ‘strongmen’ like Viktor Orban of Hungary have been using the coronavirus crisis to strengthen their hold on power.

Akbar was the most admired of all amongst the Mughals and one... of only two Indian rulers to be widely known as ‘The Great’. But before Ira Mukhoty’s ‘Akbar: The Great Mughal’, he had been without a modern biography. Here Mukhoty talks about her ground-breaking study with fellow historian Manu S. Pillai.

Acclaimed vocalist and writer Shubha Mudgal tells us of how she invokes... words and song to communicate the joy of Indian classical music. In conversation with writer and translator Ira Pande, she discusses the inter-connectedness of the arts and their crucial role in our disturbing times 

In his philosophical masterpiece “On the Nature of Things,” written around 50... B.C.E., Lucretius devoted particular attention to Pandemics. Here the Pulitzer prize-winning Professor of English at Harvard talks to writer, historian, and translator of Lucretius, Tom Holland, about what the Roman sage can tell us about disease and lockdowns. 

Since the Corona pandemic paralyzed the world, social media has been full... of people spending lockdown doing yoga. In this session, SOAS Professor of Sanskrit and Yogic Mahant Sir James Mallinson tells Yashaswini Chandra about the history of yogic isolation and how yogis have used solitude and stillness to plumb their inner depths. He also reveals how very recently in it's long history yoga came to be seen to be a form of kalisthenic exercise and keep-fit.

One of the greatest writers of our times, Margaret Atwood, speaks of... the power of language, the science of storytelling, and the challenges of the present.  

Alain de Botton is a Swiss-British writer and philosopher whose Essays in... Love has sold more than two million copies. Here he talks about his life and work, and his thoughts on living under lockdown in conversation with Anindita Ghose.

Tina Brown talks of celebrity, sexism, and power, as well as her... own stellar work as a writer and journalist in conversation with Chiki Sarkar

A session on dystopian fiction and its disturbing emergence in reality where... Prayaag Akbar, author of Leila, which was adapted into a Netflix series, and Nandini Nair, share their views.

Edmund de Waal, the acclaimed and multiple prize winning author of The... Hare With The Amber Eyes is also one of the leading lights of the contemporary art scene.  In conversation with Aanchal Malhotra he talks about his current project, the Library of Exile that he created as a 'space to sit and read and be'. It houses more than 2,000 books in translation, written by exiled authors. Unveiled to great acclaim during the Venice Biennale 2019, this porcelain-covered pavilion is intended as a place of contemplation and dialogue. 'It is about exile,' says de Waal, 'what it means to have to move to another country, to speak another language.' 

Peter Carey is one of only five writers to win the Booker... twice and is frequently named as Australia's next contender for the Nobel Prize. Here he talks about his life in writing  in conversation with Chandrahas Choudhury

Essayist and novelist Pico Iyer speaks of movement and stillness, changelessness and... change, and the need to keep ourselves anchored in stillness in our changed world and environment.

Chinmay Tumbe, author of India Moving: A History of Migration, and journalist... and author Saba Naqvi join us to track the plight of migrant communities following the national lockdown and discuss the disruptions to labour markets and livelihoods.

Jhumpa Lahiri, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and one of... the Indian diaspora's very greatest living writers, talks polylingual fiction and literature in a time of pandemics in conversation with publisher Chiki Sarkar.

Siddhartha Mukherjee, Pulizer winner and one of India's greatest medical minds, talks... to Oxford historian Peter Frankopan, who predicted the outbreak of a major pandemic six months before it happened

Jeet Thayil talks about his new novel Low, his forthcoming novel Names... of the Women, and submits to an Ask Me Anything live interaction with the audience

At a moment when the world faces unprecedented disruption and crisis, a... necessary conversation on the new realities that face us. Writer, politician and public intellectual Shashi Tharoor and President of the Observer Research Foundation Samir Saran, who have co-authored The New World Disorder and the India Imperative, share their views.

One of our foundational human rights, freedom of thought protects the individual... conscience of every human being. In conversation with writer and broadcaster Bee Rowlatt, Baroness Helena Kennedy QC explores the need to protect the forum internum - our private and mental space - from the incursions of digital technology.

Author and advocate Abhinav Chandrachud and journalist Pragya Tiwari reflect on the... Bombay bubonic plague of 1896 and it's echoes and repercussions today. 

Former politician and author Bruno Maçães and writer and journalist Sujeev Shakya... speak of our transformed times and the lessons of Nepal, China and Europe. An important session on our past, present and future, and what the rebirth of these nations could mean for the world and global affairs.