Page 37 - The Indian EYE 111326

NORTH AMERICAN Newsline NOVEMBER 13, 2026 | The Indian Eye 37

IAAC Literary Festival to bring global business

leaders and acclaimed writers to New York

Two days of free book talks, November 14–15, at Bohemian National Hall, with

Booker-longlisted Manil Suri, National Book Award finalist Karan Mahajan and

Jnanpith laureate Dr. Pratibha Ray

OUR BUREAU will be in conversation with Tanya Si-
chynsky, Food and Cooking editor at
NEW YORK, NY
The New York Times.
ormer American Express chair- Climate change and water scar-
man and CEO Ken Chenault, city will be the focus of a Sunday ses-
FBarclays Group Chief Execu- sion featuring Rakesh Kaul, author
tive C. S. Venkatakrishnan and War- of the climate-fiction thriller Water-
burg Pincus Chairman Chip Kaye will Fire Day Zero, and Dr. Rajendra
headline the 2026 Indo-American Singh, widely known as India’s Wa-
Arts Council (IAAC) Literary Fes- terman and recipient of the Ramon
tival, bringing together prominent Magsaysay Award and Stockholm
business leaders, writers, journalists Water Prize. Moderated by Professor
and academics for two days of discus- Makarand Paranjape, the discussion
sions on literature, economics, identi- will examine the growing global wa-
ty and climate change. ter crisis through literature and envi-
The free festival will be held on ronmental experience.
November 14 and 15 at Bohemian The two-day programme will
National Hall, 321 East 73rd Street, additionally feature poetry readings,
in New York. The programme will discussions on the Ellora cave tem-
feature Booker Prize-longlisted ples, Indian political thought and
author Manil Suri, National Book the legacy of Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan.
Award finalist Karan Mahajan and A publishers’ panel featuring liter-
Jnanpith laureate Dr. Pratibha Ray, ary agent Anjali Singh and Prabhu
among other literary figures. Guptara of Salt Desert Media Group
One of the major attractions will will offer aspiring writers insights
be a discussion on India’s economic into the publishing industry.
development and its emergence as “Literature has never belonged
a global economic power. Devesh within borders,” said Rakesh Kaul,
Kapur, Starr Foundation Professor IAAC vice-chairman and author of
of South Asia Studies at Johns Hop- special showcase of Odisha’s litera- Fiction, memoir and food will WaterFire Day Zero, emphasising
kins SAIS, and Arvind Subramanian, ture, language and culinary heritage form another major part of the fes- the importance of bringing Indian
former Chief Economic Adviser to on November 14. The three-hour tival. Manil Suri, whose novels in- and American voices together to dis-
the Government of India, will pres- programme will be anchored by Dr. clude The Death of Vishnu, will dis- cuss shared global challenges.
ent their book A Sixth of Humanity: Pratibha Ray, a Jnanpith award win- cuss his memoir A Room in Bombay Festival director Preethi Urs said
Independent India’s Development ner and Padma Bhushan recipient with WNYC and Gothamist reporter the programme had been curated to
Odyssey. who was recently conferred the Sahi- Arun Venugopal. Karan Mahajan create unexpected connections be-
They will be joined by Kaye and tya Akademi Fellowship. will present his novel The Complex tween literature, business, history,
Venkatakrishnan for a conversa- Ray will discuss her literary jour- in conversation with Press Trust of culture and contemporary challeng-
tion moderated by Sonal Shah, for- ney in a session moderated by Bha- India journalist Yoshita Singh. es, while introducing New York audi-
mer founding director of the White vani Parameswar. Her work, span- Other literary sessions will fea- ences to writers and stories deserving
House Office of Social Innovation ning more than five decades, has ture Brinda Charry, author of Ho- wider international recognition.
and Civic Participation under Pres- explored questions of gender, caste, cus Pocus, Priya Hajela, author of The IAAC Literary Festival will
ident Barack Obama and founding identity and social justice. Her ac- For Whose Dear Sake Our Fathers run from 10 am to 7 pm on Novem-
president of The Asian American claimed novel Yajnaseni (The Story Died, and historical crime novelist ber 14 and 11 am to 5 pm on Novem-
Foundation. of Draupadi) retells the Mahabhara- Radha Vatsal, who will discuss her ber 15. Admission is free, but regis-
Chenault, currently chairman ta from the perspective of its central book No. 10 Doyers Street, set in tration is required.
and managing director of Gener- female protagonist. early-20th-century Chinatown. The Indo-American Arts Coun-
al Catalyst, will discuss his memoir, The Odisha showcase will also The festival will open with cil, a New York-based nonprofit, pro-
Equal to the Task: A Life Forged include discussions on the state’s cu- Brooklyn-based chef and food writ- motes Indian and Indian-diaspora
Between America’s Promise and Its linary and cultural heritage, the his- er Rachel Gurjar, whose book East arts and culture through initiatives
Truth, in a conversation with Ash tory and evolution of the Odia lan- to East: Recipes and Stories from including the New York Indian Film
Gupta on November 15. guage and literature, and the work of Mumbai to New York explores food, Festival and the Erasing Borders
The festival will also feature a writer Surendra Mohanty. memory and cultural belonging. She Dance Festival.

www.TheIndianEYE.com