Program
Inaugural Address
Namita Gokhale and Sanjoy K. Roy01. How the World Made the West
Josephine Quinn and Rubén MontoyaHistorian and archaeologist Josephine Quinn's recent work, How the World Made the West, is an expansive history of the origins of the West, spanning 4000 years. Questioning the idea of ‘civilisations’ within history, Quinn presents an intriguing idea of how it was contact and connections, rather than distinct and isolated civilisations, that drove historical change. In this conversation, Quinn calls for a reassessment of the idea of the ‘West’, and takes a deep dive into a shared history lost in time.
03. Inaugural Address
Namita Gokhale and Sanjoy K. Roy04. Thinking Better: The Art of the Shortcut
Marcus du Sautoy in conversation with Jesús María Sanz-SernaHow do you remember more and forget less?
How can you earn more and become more creative just by moving house?
Is there a shortcut to learning a musical instrument?
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. Rooted in 2,000 years of data, du Sautoy’s guide explores how math lets us do more with less and attempts to solve the age-old question of hard work truly being the only key to success. In conversation with academician and mathematician Jesús María Sanz-Serna, he offers a shortcut explanation on how shortcuts can change the world!
05. The Never Ending Tales: Folktales and Folklore
Namita Gokhale and Paulo Lemos Horta in conversation with Cristobo de Milio CarrinFolktales and folklore reflect the collective consciousness of a community and of society in general. Award-winning writer and festival director Namita Gokhale’s books — from the modern classic Paro: Dreams of Passion and the recent Mystics and Sceptics — reflect a deep engagement with storytelling, folklore, and the currents of Indian literary tradition. She co-edited the 2025 collection of Himalayan folktales The Whispering Mountains, where mystery unfolds in all shapes and forms, nature brims with wisdom, and magic looms around every corner. Writer and translator Paulo Lemos Horta follows the winding trail of The Arabian Nights — a collection where magic lamps, cunning thieves, and fearless storytellers cross paths. In The Annotated Arabian Nights, he brings these iconic tales to life, tracing the web of voices that turned fireside stories into global legends.
07. How the World Made the West
Josephine Quinn and Ignacio Gómez de Liaño in conversation with Brian A. CatlosIn this thought-provoking session, Josephine Quinn’s How the World Made the West and Ignacio Gómez de Liaño’s The Eclipse of Civilization converge, in order to examine the past and future of Western civilization. Quinn reveals the global exchanges that built the West, while Gómez de Liaño critiques its decline, focusing on the erosion of ethical values, and the rise of authoritarian ideologies. Together, they question the ethical underpinnings of modern society, and offer a profound reflection on its evolution and potential demise.
08. A Spoonful of Home: Culinary Narratives from India to Spain
Romy Gill and Marc Segarra in conversation with Sanjoy L. RoyDiscover how food evokes memory, nostalgia, and belonging in the culinary narratives of Chef’s Romy Gill and Marc Segarra. Segarra, a pioneer in his region for introducing local produce in high-end cuisine, is with the Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine. Gill was the owner and head chef at Romy's Kitchen. She channels the essence of Indian home cooking and the emotional resonance of migration through her vibrant dishes, while Segarra crafts refined interpretations rooted in Spain’s Ribera del Duero, celebrating regional identity. In conversation with Sanjoy K. Roy, they explore how taste connects us to stories, heritage, and home—revealing unexpected threads between Indian and Spanish culinary traditions.
09. The Real World of Fiction
Sheena PatelThe real world of fiction resides between paradox and parallel reality. Picasso said “art is a lie that makes us realize truth”, and writers employ fiction to uncover truths of reality. Authors tell us about the porous truths of their fiction, and the contexts from which they emerge.
10. Starry Nights: Noches Estrelladas
Shobhaa DeCelebrity writer and columnist Shobhaa De is unapologetically bold, fiercely candid, and never afraid to stir the pot. Her popular column, Politically Incorrect, and her bestseller novels like Socialite Evenings and the more recent Insatiable, have won her global acclaim. She has spent decades challenging conventions with her sharp wit and honest observations. .Her upcoming book, The Sensualist , is a provocative look at passion, power, and the private lives of modern Indians.In an unfiltered conversation, she talks about writing, relationships, and the art of being unapologetically herself.
11. Pura Poesia: The Power of Words
Juan Carlos Mestre, Mona Arshi and Violeta Medina in conversation with Carlos AganzoPoetry invokes the primal power of word, sound, and image. Renowned poets from around the world read from their work and speak to the contexts that sparked their poetic impulse.
12. Nomads: The Wanderers Who Shaped Our World
Anthony Sattin in conversationAnthony Sattin's acclaimed book Nomads explores the transformative and often bloody relationship between settled and mobile societies. The story of the umbilical connections between these two very different ways of living presents a radical new view of human civilization. From the Neolithic Revolution to the twenty-first century, via the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, the great nomadic empires of the Arabs and Mongols, the Mughals and the development of the Silk Road, nomads have been a perpetual counterbalance to the empires created by the power of human cities. Connecting us to mythology and the records of antiquity, in this conversation, Sattin discusses rewriting history, why some of us are compelled to travel, and why nomads matter to us even today.
Inaugural AddressEspañol
Namita Gokhale and Sanjoy K. Roy01. How the World Made the WestEspañol
Josephine Quinn and Rubén MontoyaHistorian and archaeologist Josephine Quinn's recent work, How the World Made the West, is an expansive history of the origins of the West, spanning 4000 years. Questioning the idea of ‘civilisations’ within history, Quinn presents an intriguing idea of how it was contact and connections, rather than distinct and isolated civilisations, that drove historical change. In this conversation, Quinn calls for a reassessment of the idea of the ‘West’, and takes a deep dive into a shared history lost in time.
03. Inaugural AddressEspañol
Namita Gokhale and Sanjoy K. Roy04. Thinking Better: The Art of the ShortcutEspañol
Marcus du Sautoy in conversation with Jesús María Sanz-SernaHow do you remember more and forget less?
How can you earn more and become more creative just by moving house?
Is there a shortcut to learning a musical instrument?
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. Rooted in 2,000 years of data, du Sautoy’s guide explores how math lets us do more with less and attempts to solve the age-old question of hard work truly being the only key to success. In conversation with academician and mathematician Jesús María Sanz-Serna, he offers a shortcut explanation on how shortcuts can change the world!
05. The Never Ending Tales: Folktales and FolkloreEspañol
Namita Gokhale and Paulo Lemos Horta in conversation with Cristobo de Milio CarrinFolktales and folklore reflect the collective consciousness of a community and of society in general. Award-winning writer and festival director Namita Gokhale’s books — from the modern classic Paro: Dreams of Passion and the recent Mystics and Sceptics — reflect a deep engagement with storytelling, folklore, and the currents of Indian literary tradition. She co-edited the 2025 collection of Himalayan folktales The Whispering Mountains, where mystery unfolds in all shapes and forms, nature brims with wisdom, and magic looms around every corner. Writer and translator Paulo Lemos Horta follows the winding trail of The Arabian Nights — a collection where magic lamps, cunning thieves, and fearless storytellers cross paths. In The Annotated Arabian Nights, he brings these iconic tales to life, tracing the web of voices that turned fireside stories into global legends.
07. How the World Made the WestEspañol
Josephine Quinn and Ignacio Gómez de Liaño in conversation with Brian A. CatlosIn this thought-provoking session, Josephine Quinn’s How the World Made the West and Ignacio Gómez de Liaño’s The Eclipse of Civilization converge, in order to examine the past and future of Western civilization. Quinn reveals the global exchanges that built the West, while Gómez de Liaño critiques its decline, focusing on the erosion of ethical values, and the rise of authoritarian ideologies. Together, they question the ethical underpinnings of modern society, and offer a profound reflection on its evolution and potential demise.
08. A Spoonful of Home: Culinary Narratives from India to SpainEspañol
Romy Gill and Marc Segarra in conversation with Sanjoy L. RoyDiscover how food evokes memory, nostalgia, and belonging in the culinary narratives of Chef’s Romy Gill and Marc Segarra. Segarra, a pioneer in his region for introducing local produce in high-end cuisine, is with the Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine. Gill was the owner and head chef at Romy's Kitchen. She channels the essence of Indian home cooking and the emotional resonance of migration through her vibrant dishes, while Segarra crafts refined interpretations rooted in Spain’s Ribera del Duero, celebrating regional identity. In conversation with Sanjoy K. Roy, they explore how taste connects us to stories, heritage, and home—revealing unexpected threads between Indian and Spanish culinary traditions.
09. The Real World of FictionEspañol
Sheena PatelThe real world of fiction resides between paradox and parallel reality. Picasso said “art is a lie that makes us realize truth”, and writers employ fiction to uncover truths of reality. Authors tell us about the porous truths of their fiction, and the contexts from which they emerge.
10. Starry Nights: Noches EstrelladasEspañol
Shobhaa DeCelebrity writer and columnist Shobhaa De is unapologetically bold, fiercely candid, and never afraid to stir the pot. Her popular column, Politically Incorrect, and her bestseller novels like Socialite Evenings and the more recent Insatiable, have won her global acclaim. She has spent decades challenging conventions with her sharp wit and honest observations. .Her upcoming book, The Sensualist , is a provocative look at passion, power, and the private lives of modern Indians.In an unfiltered conversation, she talks about writing, relationships, and the art of being unapologetically herself.
11. Pura Poesia: The Power of WordsEspañol
Juan Carlos Mestre, Mona Arshi and Violeta Medina in conversation with Carlos AganzoPoetry invokes the primal power of word, sound, and image. Renowned poets from around the world read from their work and speak to the contexts that sparked their poetic impulse.
12. Nomads: The Wanderers Who Shaped Our WorldEspañol
Anthony Sattin in conversationAnthony Sattin's acclaimed book Nomads explores the transformative and often bloody relationship between settled and mobile societies. The story of the umbilical connections between these two very different ways of living presents a radical new view of human civilization. From the Neolithic Revolution to the twenty-first century, via the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, the great nomadic empires of the Arabs and Mongols, the Mughals and the development of the Silk Road, nomads have been a perpetual counterbalance to the empires created by the power of human cities. Connecting us to mythology and the records of antiquity, in this conversation, Sattin discusses rewriting history, why some of us are compelled to travel, and why nomads matter to us even today.