Kolkata, 9th December 2024: The grand unveiling of the highly anticipated sixteenth edition of the renowned Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival (AKLF) took place amidst the timeless elegance of the iconic Oxford Bookstore on bustling Park Street in Kolkata. The event was graced by an illustrious panel of dignitaries including Abhijit Banerjee, Winner of the 2019 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences; Dr. Anuradha Lohia, Scientist and Former Vice Chancellor, Presidency University; Cheyenne Olivier, Illustrator of the book ‘Chhaunk’; Anjum Katyal, Director, Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival; Swagat Sengupta, CEO, Apeejay Oxford Bookstores; and Neeta Sreedharan, Programming Head, Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival. The air was filled with excitement and anticipation as the literary world gathered in celebration of words and ideas, setting the stage for an unforgettable festival that promises to ignite minds and inspire souls.

Highlighting the AKLF curtain raiser announcement was the exclusive launch of Nobel Laureate Abhijit Banerjee’s Chhaunk: On Food, Economics and Society published by Juggernaut. The author and illustrator, Cheyenne Olivier were in discussion with Dr. Anuradha Lohia.

The festival is scheduled to take place on 10th, 11th and 12th January 2025, featuring various sessions across multiple venues throughout these dates. Allen Park will serve as the central hub, hosting the majority of the events, Poetry Café is all set to be hosted at Alliance Française du Bengale, while the Oxford Junior Literary Festival (OJLF), will be held at the Oxford Bookstore.

AKLF 2025 boasts an impressive lineup of speakers, with more than 120 writers gracing the festival. Notable names include Akhil Katyal, Akshat Gupta, Dr. Alka Pande, Anand Neelakantan, Anuja Chandramouli, Anita Agnihotri, Ankita Konwar, Aparna Vaidik, Arunava Sinha, Ashis Nandy, Ashis Ray, Chinmoy Guha, Devi Kar, Ira Mukhoty, Jael Silliman, Jayanta Sengupta, Kunal Basu, M K Raina, Mani Shankar Aiyar, Milind Soman, Monideepa Banerjie, Neelima Adhar Dalmia, Neha Dixit, Nusrat F Jafri, Pinaki De, Prayaag Akbar, Rajdeep Sardesai, Ramachandra Guha, Rana Safvi, Ruchir Joshi, Sagarika Ghose, Salil Tripathi, Samar Jodha, Samrat Choudhury, Sandip Roy, Shabnam Minwalla, Shalini Modi, Shehnaz Treasury, Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan, Shobhaa De, Sudeep Chakravarti, Sugata Bose, Sumantra Ghoshal, Sunita Kohli, William Dalrymple, Ila Arun, Nitish Bhushan, Priyanka S Kaintura and Riddhi Bahl among others.

This edition will feature the much-anticipated shortlist announcement of the 10th edition of prestigious Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize. The festival will provide the first look at Ruchir Joshi’s much-anticipated new novel, giving readers an exclusive sneak peek into the literary gems to come.

The Oxford Junior Literary Festival (OJLF), set to take place at the Oxford Bookstore, promises to captivate young audiences with engaging activities such as interactive ‘meet the author’ sessions, creative workshops, word games and storytelling. Designed to inspire a love for literature and nurture creativity, the OJLF aims to ignite the imaginations of the next generation. Meanwhile, the Poetry Café, hosted at Alliance Française du Bengale, will serve as a dynamic platform for both established and emerging poets to share their verses, fostering a rich exchange of ideas and artistic expression.

The valued partners for the three-day-long literary festival include Kenilworth Hotel, Kolkata, as the hospitality partner; Cha Bar as the refreshment partner; Teacher’s Centre as the institutional partner; Glenburn Penthouse and Alliance française du Bengale as the festival partners; and 91.9 Friends FM as radio partner. Several renowned publishing houses will also contribute to creating a vibrant and collaborative literary environment. Notable names include Aleph Book Company, Bloomsbury, Hachette, HarperCollins, Harvard University Press, Jadavpur University Press, Juggernaut, Niyogi Books, Penguin Random House, Readomania, Routledge, Rupa Publications, Speaking Tiger, Vitasta Publishing, Westland Books and many more.

Reflecting on the journey of the Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival (AKLF), Priti Paul, Director, Apeejay Surrendra Group, said, “As we step into the 16th edition of the Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival, we are filled with immense pride and gratitude. AKLF was born with a simple yet profound vision—to bring together the world of literature and the vibrant city of Kolkata in a celebration of words, ideas and creativity. Over the years, the festival has transcended its mere event status to emerge as a cultural cornerstone, a sanctum where writers, thinkers, visionaries, and bibliophiles come together to inspire and be inspired. As we continue this journey, we are committed to ensuring that AKLF remains an inclusive, dynamic platform that reflects the spirit of this great city and the transformative power of literature.”

Anjum Katyal, Director, Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival said, “In its 16th edition, AKLF continues to have its finger on the pulse of what people are thinking and talking about, thanks to its connection with Oxford Bookstore, which ensures a year-round engagement with books. So, you will find a strong focus on current issues like the environment, history and mythology, politics and current affairs, gender and women’s writing, translation, memoir, and more. Exciting new voices alongside veteran thinkers brings variety and colour to the festival.”