Program

B.N. Goswamy is India’s most distinguished art historian and has singularly captured the lives of India’s forgotten painters, and the essence of Indian art and appreciation. His masterpiece, The Spirit of Indian Painting, illuminates the lives and circumstances of Indian painters, the making of their iconographies and the manner of ‘reading’ their paintings to unlock layered treasures within. His latest, Conversations: India’s Leading Art Historian Engages with 101 Themes, and More, is a  truly accessible primer on art in India and South Asia. Goswamy discusses a lifetime of learnings and his magnificent work with the bestselling writer, historian and Festival Co-Director, William Dalrymple.

André Aciman is the acclaimed author of Call Me by Your Name, a transcendental, sensual and acutely human portrait of first love, the 2017 film adaptation of which sparked a cultural phenomenon and global appreciation. Find Me is the sequel to his worldwide bestseller and follows the lives of its spellbinding characters decades after their first meeting. Aciman's other work includes novels Eight White Nights, Harvard Square, and the memoir, Out of Egypt. In conversation with Shivani Sibal, author of Equations, he delves into his writing process and the nuances of the subject of love. 

A codename chosen in grim humour, ‘Operation Mincemeat’ was a high-risk diversionary tactic employed by British Intelligence agents at the height of the Second World War. One morning, in neutral Spanish waters, a fisherman found the floating corpse of a British soldier and documents that revealed the Allied forces’ intentions to invade Greece, not Sicily - “the most successful wartime deception ever attempted”. In the hands of the Germans, the information, forged in a windowless basement, would change the course of the war. Bestselling author and journalist Ben Macintyre’s gripping account of this elaborate plan, Operation Mincemeat: The True Spy Story That Changed the Course of World War II, is now a major motion picture, directed by John Madden. In conversation with author Peter Frankopan, Macintyre discusses Operation Mincemeat, the thrilling new movie adaptation, and the world of espionage.

Mira Nair’s study of cinema was sparked by a political question- can we affect the world with art? Just so, in the course of her illustrious career as a filmmaker and storyteller, she has many times answered - yes. Among the Oscar-nominated Nair’s films, the best known are Mississippi Masala, The Namesake, Monsoon Wedding, and Salaam Bombay! She is director of the acclaimed BBC television adaptation of Vikram Seth’s epic novel, A Suitable Boy, set against the turbulent scenes of newly independent, post-Partition India. In public discourse and her craft, Nair explores themes of colonialism, postcolonialism, pluralism, secularism, race, gender, and diaspora. These shape her resplendent portrayals of acutely human stories, the personal and the political, at a cinematic intersection. In conversation with Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, Sanjoy K Roy, Nair discusses her riveting work and the world in relation to art.

Patrick Radden Keefe is “one of the most decorated journalists of our time” and the bestselling author of Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland and Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty. His upcoming book, Rogues: True Stories of Grifters, Killers, Rebels and Crooks, features some of his most celebrated articles from The New Yorker - stories of intrigue, deceit and crime. In conversation with Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, Sanjoy K Roy, Keefe discusses his latest work, a remarkable career in journalism, and the study of “illicit worlds”. 

Travel writing is among the most ancient forms of literature, but what is its nature in the new age? Acclaimed writers André Aciman and Peter Frankopan join writer and Festival Co-Director William Dalrymple for a truly transportive conversation as they read from their work and discuss the places that inspire them, and the genre of travel writing at large.

Bestselling writer, historian and hotelier Peter Frankopan articulates the links between the history of Asia and the emerging world order in The New Silk Roads: The Present and Future of the World and The Silk Roads: A New History of the World. In his study of the connections “knitted together across the spine of Asia”, the dazzling Silk Road, he also re-examines contemporary and future geo-politics. What is the shape of the world now in the shadow of the crisis in Ukraine? Frankopan explores modern conflict and the fascinating ancient history of the world, with writer, historian and Festival Co-Director, William Dalrymple.

Acclaimed writer and eminent academic, Mahmood Mamdani, best known for his incisive works on colonialism, conflict, human rights and other contemporary issues, wrote Good Muslim, Bad Muslim, which examines religious identity, Western policy and modern political history. Huma Abedin, Hillary Clinton’s now-famous private top aide and longtime advisor, has compiled some of her extraordinary experiences in the memoir, Both/And, marked by crucial moments in 21st-century American history, including peace talks for the Middle East, the attacks of 9/11, and the inauguration of the first African American president of the US. In conversation with Managing Director at Teamwork Arts , Sanjoy K. Roy, Mamdani and Abedin explore the links between religion, politics, and the defining aspects of global architecture.

Mira Nair’s iconic 2001 film, Monsoon Wedding, was the recipient of the Venice Film Festival’s highest award - the Golden Lion - and the BAFTA for Best Foreign Language Film. Beloved for its pivotal depiction of  a contemporary Indian family and its many dysfunctions, the film also illuminates universal shades of relationships, secrecy, desire, and suffering. It is a portrait of “fullness and the truth and the family chaan chaan”. With Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, Sanjoy K Roy, Nair discusses the legacy of Monsoon Wedding, its cult following, and the questions of identity it bottles as “a real tonic”. 

Bestselling author and journalist, Ben Macintyre, is among the finest writers of espionage, war history and current affairs. In conversation with author and Festival co-Director William Dalrymple, Macintyre discusses the journey and craft of depicting some of the most thrilling, ingenious and notorious moments in time. 

Challenges, promises, and urgent questions comprise the reality of today. How do we make sense of the dimensions of the world order that are shifting at a rapid, mercurial pace? Writer and investigative journalist, Patrick Radden Keefe; American political staffer and writer, Huma Abdein; and writer, historian and hotelier, Peter Frankopan discuss present times, the burden of history and an enigmatic future. Are we reverting to tribalism or approaching a new state of being entirely? How do changing politics, technologies, and the inescapable climate crisis govern the context of the present and times to come? 

The brothers Manaku of Guler and Nainsukh are widely regarded as the most brilliant painters of 18th century India. India’s most distinguished art historian, BN Goswamy, reconstructs what is known of their lives and their different artistic journeys. The brothers came from an obscure town in the hills of northern India, yet their vision knew almost no limits. With boundless imagination and superlative skill, Manaku and his brother depicted the rings of time upon timeless waters, the world of gods and demons, cosmic battles, earthly triumphs, and also the tender world of lovers and the realities of life at court. Introduced by bestselling writer, historian and Festival Co-Director, William Dalrymple, Goswamy takes us on an illuminating journey through the lifetime of Manaku of Guler.

Hillary Clinton’s famously private top aide and longtime advisor, Huma Abedin’s memoir, Both/And, is a candid and inspiring retelling of her private and political life. Throwing light on her experiences growing up in the United States of America and Saudi Arabia, her personal life, and her connection with Clinton, Abedin's writing is a testament to the modern working woman. In conversation with Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, Sanjoy K Roy, Abedin gives us a glimpse into her lived experiences and the many worlds she straddles.

The conquest of India which is the pillar of British Imperialism, is in truth the more sinister story of a dangerously unregulated private company, with a small office and five windows in the city of London, which replaced the Mughal Empire and came to be the first global corporate power. William Dalrymple’s multi-award-winning histories, two decades of meticulous research and masterful narration, are available in the essential collection, The Company Quartet, and trace these two hundred years of tumultuous colonial history, covert political machinations and bloody resistance. It includes four spellbinding books - The Anarchy, White Mughals, Return of a King and The Last Mughal. William Dalrymple, in a session introduced by acclaimed writer and historian Peter Frankopan, discusses his remarkable career, visceral, decades-long study of India and the process of writing the extraordinary story of the rise and fall of the East India Company. 

The story of the legendary Cartier family and the global brand, adorned with classic, beguiling jewels and their many magnificent keepers, is all the more compelling for the testament to family, creativity, and a dedication to beauty. The jewellers to royalty and celebrities, the Cartiers are crucial in design history. Francesca Cartier Brickell is the great-granddaughter of the youngest of the three Cartier brothers who transformed their humble store into the luxury icon we recognise today. Her compelling book, The Cartiers, chronicles the history of the dynasty, the evolution of artistry and a creative signature, and a family deeply committed to “never copy, only create”. Cartier Brickell’s quest led her to India, in Jacques Cartier’s footsteps, and to the royal family of Vadodara. The Maharani of Baroda, Radhikaraje Gaekwad, has researched and archived the fabled jewels of Baroda state and has engaged in provoking conversations on heirlooms and contemporary iterations. She participated in Cartier Brickell’s webinar on the jewel-laden legacy of their ancestors, forging a profound connection. In conversation with Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, Sanjoy K Roy, Francesca Cartier Brickell and Maharani Radhikaraje Gaekwad discuss their sparkling heritage and the people at its centre, rendering it brighter still. 

Arundhathi Subramaniam is described as ‘one of the finest poets writing in India today’. Her poetry includes the acclaimed collections Love Without a Story, When God Is a Traveller, and Where I Live. Subramaniam reads from a selection of her work in a session that celebrates poetry and imaginative possibility. 

Everybody imagines luxury differently, but our ideas have something in common - a sense of the extraordinary. Past superficial perceptions of the value of luxury items and experiences, or lack thereof, are more nuanced conversations about the art of weaving beauty along the functions of life, not in way of excess but as a commitment to perfection. Luxury lies in the balance of form,  function, heritage and mirrors changing times, now inextricably linked to the fight for a sustainable future.

We all carry the imprint of forgotten hurts and the weight of an ‘inner child’ who is asking for attention and care. The more this part of our subconscious is ignored, the darker life’s challenges appear. Join a healing art-meditation series to open channels of communication with our inner child, and find inspiration for a sense of ease and lightness for the journey ahead.

Celebrated poet and writer Arundhathi Subramaniam is known for her depictions of transformative journeys of the soul. Join Subramaniam for the incredible opportunity to view a poet’s mind and mastery. 

Gilles Chuyen is a multifaceted dancer, actor, choreographer and director. Trained in Ballet and Modern dance, he has danced his way from rural France to India, sharing the fun of Bollywood for the last 20 years all around the world.

Shivani Sibal reads excerpts from her exceptional debut novel, Equations, which holds an “unsparing mirror” to social change in modern India from the 80s and the interwoven stories of those caught in its upheaval. 

Contemporary artist Olivia Fraser, who moved to India in 1989, was initially a travel painter before apprenticing herself to miniature and pichwai artists from Jaipur to learn the language of a fabulously rich, rigorous and intricate painting tradition. Combined with her great interest in yoga and meditation, Fraser has produced profound works that are considered spiritual road maps to reflect a journey within. The lotus is a defining motif in her paintings. Fraser’s striking forays into the Indian art world find luminous expression in her book, A Journey Within – an artistic journey of meditative calm and beauty. Renowned art historian and critic BN Goswamy introduces Olivia Fraser.

We all carry the imprint of forgotten hurts and the weight of an ‘inner child’ who is asking for attention and care. The more this part of our subconscious is ignored, the darker life’s challenges appear. Join a healing art-meditation series to open channels of communication with our inner child, and find inspiration for a sense of ease and lightness for the journey ahead.

The ancient Indian practice of Ayurveda, among the oldest of the world's medical systems, remains invaluable to modern perspectives on mental and physical health. Join acclaimed Ayurvedic practitioner, Dr. Vidya Dinesh for an enlightening introduction to the world of Ayurveda and its benefit to a spectrum of difficulties, whether of the mind, body, or soul. With over 20 years of experience as a physician, Dr. Vidya will guide us through the elements of physical and mental health and their connection with an unparalleled holistic system of healing. 

Call Me By Your Name, the story that began as a “diversion” for André Aciman, inspired by a dream of an Italian villa overlooking the sea, has grown “from an object of niche devotion to one of mainstream interest” in the decade since its publication. Now a major motion picture directed by Luca Guadagnino, it is a torchbearer in the depictions of love in fiction and film. In conversation with Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, Sanjoy K. Roy, Aciman discusses the enchanting world born from his intimate novel.

Acclaimed journalist and author David Wallace-Wells discusses the humanitarian and environmental effects of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine. With the devastating human cost of war, and the dimming transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, what is to become of the Earth’s future? A session on the demands of the “historical moment”. Wallace-Wells in conversation with writer and historian, Peter Frankopan. 

We all carry the imprint of forgotten hurts and the weight of an ‘inner child’ who is asking for attention and care. The more this part of our subconscious is ignored, the darker life’s challenges appear. Join a healing art-meditation series to open channels of communication with our inner child, and find inspiration for a sense of ease and lightness for the journey ahead.

Award-winning poet Ranjit Hoskote is also among the most respected of India’s art critics and curators. He is central to contemporary art discourse in India, in registering multiple cultural issues, artistic domains, and moments of history. Hoskote guides us through the language of art in a unique workshop to expand and sharpen the art-lover’s critical eye.

Shereen Mitwalli says that we live by a line of life, choosing a place either above or below it. Does everything go as planned? Do we make mistakes? Regardless, it is dedication and persistence, the choice to eliminate doubt and look only ahead, that make a mindset geared for success. Mitwalli is a keynote speaker, television presenter, educator and entrepreneur who inspires her audience to live everyday with conscious and motivated mindsets. Join her for a chance to recalibrate and discover the exciting potential of perspective. 

“Our vision is continually active, continually moving, continually holding things in a circle around itself”, wrote John Berger. It is the power of seeing that helps us absorb the exquisite world around us and understand our unique place within it. It is the prelude to the art of beautiful words. Join artist and photographer Aparna Swarup for an inspiring ‘photo-walk’. Rediscover the magic of ‘seeing’ among friends and riveting conversation. There is no need for elaborate camera equipment, only a simple lens. We shall rely on intuition and the dreamlike sights of Soneva Fushi.

Shobhaa De is among India’s most popular and gloriously irreverent writers. She has worked in journalism, as editor of three major magazines, and is the author of 17 books, including Socialite Evenings, Starry Nights, Spouse, and Superstar India. Her column in The Times of India, ‘Politically Incorrect’, carries unapologetic and remarkably candid observations on politics, society, economics and relationships. In conversation with diplomat and author, Vikas Swarup, De discusses her books, her riveting column, and a life and career that defies convention and boasts absolute splendour, even if ‘politically incorrect’. 

Acclaimed poet, translator, and essayist Ranjit Hoskote guides us through the craft of poetry, the window to life and wisdom it offers, and the keen eye that accompanies the making of one’s poetic voice. 

An experiential workshop that guides you along a journey of self-exploration, and provides insights and tools for reflection and awareness about your emotional quotient.

A creative writing class structured around your individual interests, be they fiction or nonfiction. Before becoming a Barefoot Bookseller, Georgie worked in the editorial department of a major British publishing house and will guide you through the techniques to strengthen your style and teach you core skills around plotting, pace, language and world-building. 

Vikas Swarup, the bestselling author of Q&A, the inspiration for Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, reads from his thrilling whodunit, Six Suspects. Now the popular web series, The Great Indian Murder, it is a story of six people suspected of the grisly murder of a young bartender and the webs of power and politics that bind their lives.

Acclaimed journalist and author David Wallace-Wells writes extensively on climate change and the future of science and technology. His powerful essay on the climate crisis and the reality of a tumultuous, not-too-distant future, turned into the comprehensive and urgent book, The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming. Introduced by author and Festival Co-Director, William Dalrymple,Wallace-Wells uncovers the true scale of ecological destruction and key predictions for an irrevocably changed world.

Pioneering writer and biochemist, Pranay Lal, has sparked transformative perspectives of the natural world and our intrinsic connection to it. His first book, Indica: A Deep Natural History of the Indian Subcontinent, documents the fascinating natural history of the area, supported by wide-ranging scientific disciplines, personal travels, and rare, illuminating images. His genre-defying Invisible Empire: The Natural History of Viruses repositions viruses in the light of their enigmatic, life-affirming powers and their importance in the evolution of human civilisation. Join Pranay Lal, whose love for nature is infectious as it is immense, on a walk to reimagine the ground beneath your feet. 

The legacy of Nanak Singh, widely regarded as the father of the Punjabi novel, is honoured in the translations of his work by his grandson, Navdeep Suri, which include A Life Incomplete, Hymns in Blood, and the long-lost poem on the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, Khooni Vaisakhi. The scathing Khooni Vaisakhi was banned at the time of its publication and returned to Singh’s family after many decades. Singh wrote fifty-nine books across genres, covering some of the most defining moments in India’s history, and received the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award in 1962. His family’s efforts in preserving and sharing his contributions to Punjabi culture and heritage are extraordinary. In conversation with award-winning author and Festival Founder and Co-Director, Namita Gokhale, Suri discusses the stories his grandfather left him and the grand inheritance of words. 

Pavan K. Varma, writer, politician and retired diplomat, has written extensively on key aspects of Indian civilisation and culture. His recent work, The Great Hindu Civilisation: Achievement, Neglect, Bias and the Way Forward, underscores the triumphs as well as the fault lines of Indic cultures. Acclaimed poet, translator and critic, Ranjit Hoskote, is among the most insightful voices in the contemporary cultural landscape of India and draws from its rich, kaleidoscopic traditions in his work. In conversation with bestselling writer, historian, and Festival Co-Director, William Dalrymple, Varma and Hoskote explore the true scale and splendours of Indian civilisation.

Shobhaa De has held the centre stage from when she first broke into the world of journalism in the 70s to then editing three enormously popular magazines. An exceptionally successful and popular novelist, she has written extensively on her own life. Her columns strike deep resonance with readers. In conversation with Festival Producer, Sanjoy K Roy, De presents an unparalleled trail of stardust with satire, wit and candour.

Diplomat, writer, public intellectual and academic, Gopalkrishna Gandhi’s recent book, Restless As Mercury: My Life As a Young Man, is a candid and riveting account of the struggles and experiences that formed Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s philosophy, through various stages of his life. A continuation of the Mahatma's autobiography, My Experiments With Truth, the book is rooted in the research of his writings and personal communications. Edited by the youngest of Kasturba and Mohandas Gandhi's grandchildren, Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the book provides deep insights into the beliefs nurtured by the Mahatma and the balance he maintained between love for family and a sense of public duty. In conversation with celebrated author and politician Pavan K. Varma, Gopalkrishna Gandhi reads selected excerpts and discusses the contemporary relevance of the text.

Writer, academic and mathematician extraordinaire Marcus du Sautoy’s recent book, Thinking Better: The Art of the Shortcut, is a thought-provoking sociological and mathematical celebration of the art of the shortcut. With nearly 2,000 years of data, du Sautoy explores how math helps us do more with less, and attempts to solve the age-old debate about hard work being the key to success. In conversation with Roger Highfield, he explains how shortcuts can change the world.

Sahitya Akademi Award-winning writer Namita Gokhale’s recent novel, The Blind Matriarch, written in real-time through the days of the pandemic, chronicles various facets of the history of an Indian joint family that holds within itself the traces of larger public histories. With renowned poet, critic and translator, Ranjit Hoskote, Gokhale discusses the context of this, her twentieth book, as well as some of those that came before. Namita Gokhale is the Founder and Co-Director of the Jaipur Literature Festival.

We live in a moment of unprecedented change and chaos. When the planet is on the brink of multiple disasters including climate change and the threat of nuclear war, a session that looks at stark realities as well as the promise, resilience, hope and belief in our blue planet as it spins through space.

Award-winning author, historian and Festival Founder and Co-Director William Dalrymple's new book, The Golden Road, is about the diffusion of Indian art, architecture, religion, culture, science & civilisation across Asia in the early medieval period. With historian and writer, Peter Frankopan, Dalrymple gives us an exciting preview of his latest project.

Vikas Swarup’s debut novel, Q&A, hit the ground running and became an international sensation with the Oscar-winning adaptation, Slumdog Millionaire. This both poignant and exhilarating story of trial, survival, dreams and destiny is a beloved addition to the canons of fiction and film. In conversation with Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, Sanjoy K Roy, Swarup discusses the phenomenon, Slumdog Millionaire. 

In his recent collections of poetry, Jonahwhale and Hunchprose, Ranjit Hoskote revisits and celebrates our maritime histories, the stories of people who voyaged across the high seas whether voluntarily or not. On the waters, on islands and archipelagos, old languages were transformed and new ones were born. Migration, mobility, the meeting of cultures – these are among Hoskote’s key themes in these books. In conversation with Sahitya Akademi Award-winning writer and Festival Co-Director, Namita Gokhale, Hoskote illuminates the layers of his poetry in an interactive session that calls for the practice of 'in-seeing'.

The wizarding world of Harry Potter isn’t just about magic versus the muggles. It has a dizzying array of scientific theory, metaphysics and connections between complex natural phenomena. Roger Highfield’s The Science of Harry Potter explores the fascinating links between magic and science, and shows how the fantastical conceits in the Potter books can actually be explained by scientific analysis. Highfield is in conversation with Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, Sanjoy. K. Roy. 

Most of us think of viruses as agents of disease and disaster, but acclaimed writer and biochemist, Pranay Lal, illuminates their power as the world’s most abundant life forms and a most enigmatic but crucial element of human civilisation and the human body. Pranay Lal’s fascinating book, Invisible Empire: The Natural History of Viruses, studies these both life-threatening and affirming forms, and unveils the deeper meanings of life, diversity and evolution that hang in nature’s balance. In conversation with Roger Highfield, author and Science Director at the Science Museum Group, Lal discusses this formidable, invisible empire.

Nanak Singh is a legendary figure in Punjabi literature and the writing of Indian history. He wrote fifty-nine books across genres and received the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award in 1962 for Ik Mian Do Talwaraan. He lived a remarkable life and witnessed one of the darkest, most irrevocable moments in the modern history of the subcontinent, as expressed in his profound writings. Former diplomat, writer and translator Navdeep Suri honours the legacy of his grandfather, Nanak Singh, in the brilliant translations of his work, including Khooni Vaisakhi, a poem on the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, and most recently, Hymns in Blood, a gripping novel written in the aftermath of the Partition. In conversation with Sanjoy K. Roy, Suri discusses his grandfather’s classic novel that mirrors a haunting age. 

Award-winning writer and politician, Shashi Tharoor, is the author of 22 books of fiction and non-fiction. His unerring sense of humour lightens the serious oeuvre of his work, which includes a powerful indictment of colonialism, a philosophical appreciation of the Hindu religion, and hard-hitting political critiques. His predilection for long words and telling phrases has created a sub-genre of #Tharoorisms, and his attempts at stand-up comedy have won him a constituency of admirers. In conversation with award-winning author and Festival Co-Director Namita Gokhale, Tharoor talks about ideas, inspirations, and the many levels at which he engages with the world.

Celebrated Michelin-star chef, author and educator, Suvir Saran, encourages fresh perspectives on the culinary arts. He weaves the vision of food with intimate, acutely human experiences - the defining ‘slices of life’ - and reveals a powerful approach to mental health, healing and “self-realisation”. His book, Instamatic, written after a severe health crisis, is an image-laden journey across cultures, civilisations, and the vicissitudes of life. Shot through the lens of a simple smartphone, supported by pensive and deeply personal prose, Instamatic goes beyond the usual discourse surrounding food and offers fascinating existential comforts and questions. Saran’s other acclaimed works include Indian Home Cooking, American Masala and Masala Farm. In conversation with Anandita De, Saran discusses his life’s journey, inspirations, and the role of mental health in the engagement with food.

Writer Namita Gokhale explores the strange coincidences, the surprising synergies, and the mysteries that have accompanied her literary explorations. In conversation with Sanjoy Roy, she discusses the role of intuition and the acceptance of the irrational and the other-worldly as a part of her adventures with stories and narratives.

Bestselling author and columnist Matthew Syed highlights in his latest book, Rebel Ideas, the power of “cognitive diversity” in tackling both everyday obstacles and major issues such as climate change and economic decline. Drawing on research across psychology, economics, anthropology and beyond, Syed presents a compelling case for a new way of thinking, embracing the “outsider mindset” and truly galvanizing good ideas. In conversation with mathematician extraordinaire and author of Thinking Better: The Art of the Shortcut, Marcus du Sautoy, Syed discusses his bold and inspiring ideas for the future of problem-solving.