Program

Rabih Alameddine’s latest novel, The Wrong End of the Telescope, is a kaleidoscopic rendering of the many aspects of the refugee crisis sweeping across the Mediterranean. Following the story of a Lebanese LGBTQA+ doctor and her attempts at making a difference at a refugee camp in Lesbos, the narrative gives us a glimpse into the deep connection she forms with a refugee matriarch secretly diagnosed with cancer. In a session that evaluates the experience of alienation, displacement, and the search for home, Alameddine navigates through the complex tapestry of tragic circumstances and resilience in the midst of one of the world's largest humanitarian crises. In conversation with journalist and former civil rights lawyer Alia Malek.

Adam Tooze’s latest book, Shutdown: How Covid Shook the World's Economy, is a staggering and incisive take on the interplay of globalisation, world politics, economy, and climate change. Masterfully unraveling the fragility of the world order, the cogent narrative weaves through finance, business, and the global human experience to make it clear that the crisis unleashed well before the virus. In conversation with Shruti Rajagopalan, Tooze gives us a panoramic view of the continued impact of 2020 and the deeply rooted ruptures in our way of being.

With extraordinary detail and intricacy, Kim Ghattas’ book Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the Forty-Year Rivalry That Unraveled Culture, Religion, and Collective Memory in the Middle East is a gripping narrative weaving together history, geopolitics, and culture to present a comprehensive analysis of the Middle East. In conversation with acclaimed journalist Seema Sirohi, Ghattas unfolds a fascinating cast of characters whose lives were severely impacted by the geopolitical contours of the region.

Texas Poet Laureate, activist, and poet Lupe Mendez’s powerful poetry collection, Why I Am Like Tequila, is a pulsating journey covering birth, family and community. Illuminating the Texas Chicanx experience both past and present, Mendez shifts between narrative, dramatic, and lyrical poems to give us a glimpse into his life, heritage, and identity. In conversation with award winning poet Analicia Sotelo.

Intertwining corporate greed and the intergenerational empire behind the opioid crisis in America, a gripping and foreboding session that unravels the infestation seeped into the pharmaceutical industry. Investigative journalist Katherine Eban’s shocking expose, Bottle of Lies: The Inside Story of the Generic Drug Boom, follows the nuances of generic-drug manufacturing and the attendant risks for global health. Rooted in accounts from whistleblowers and regulators and FDA documents, Eban unravels a cocoon of fraud, false data and cost cutting initiatives. Writer and journalist Patrick Radden Keefe’s explosive new book, Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty, traces the family's ambitions and ruthless methods and their role in the OxyContin epidemic. A disturbing narrative on American morality and ambition, the saga investigates the owners of Purdue Pharma and their complete disregard for human health. In conversation with ​Sanjoy K. Roy​.

Celebrated producer and director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s memoir, The Stranger in the Mirror, co-written with Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta, follows the journey of a master storyteller and his work around some of the most successful movies of Bollywood such as Rang De Basanti, Delhi-6, and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. Peppered with anecdotes from Mehra’s life, the text shifts between multiple narrators giving us a unique perspective into his creative genius. In a session of memory, creativity, and reminiscence, Mehra ​speaks​​ to Sanjoy K. Roy.

Hyphenations assume a heavy history and unique role in diaspora writing, binding Indian origin with Trans-Indian experiences. Vinod Busjeet’s literary debut, Silent Winds, Dry Seas, began as a memoir, now a provocative novel about indentured Indian communities in midcentury Mauritius. Jenny Bhatt is a writer, translator, and critic whose debut short story collection, Each of Us Killers, depicts the lives of the Indian diaspora and the socio-cultural boundaries which frame them. In conversation with critic and writer Parul Kapur Hinzen, they discuss the ways in which they uphold, amalgamate, and recreate their identity, and yet remain rooted in their concept of 'home'.

A long time ago, in the ancient lands of India, known in those days as Bharatvarsha, a family quarrel grew into a bloody war. There had been wars before, and there have been wars since, but that mighty battle between warring cousins of the Kuru clan has become a part of the essence of India. The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. A powerful session that pays tribute to the women of the Mahabharata, as they argue, plead, reason, and rise from the embers of the grand epic that often focuses only on heroic men. Three masters of the narrative craft speak to Sunit Tandon about the many variations of this foundational text, the role of women within it and their vivid and resonating voices.

Michael Madhushudhan Dutta led an extraordinary life, rebelling against the status quo, believing that the world was his for the taking; not wanting to be held back by convention or where he was from. Grappling with many of the issues we are facing today, he deeply believed in his ability to transcend his beginnings, confident that his voice could traverse linguistic and cultural boundaries to achieve literary greatness internationally. He ultimately was able to imbibe influences from elsewhere into the very core of Bangla literature. Exploring his international sensibilities, along with his intense, deep-rooted engagement with Bangla, the panel looks forward to celebrating the genius of MMD, along with exploring questions of identity, linguistic nationalism, and innovation.