The 14th Edition of the Hyderabad Literary Festival Gets Bigger, Beyond Literature

Elevate your cultural experience at HLF 2024 in Sattva Knowledge City. Explore literature, science, and climate discussions. Join us from Jan 26-28 for an inclusive celebration!

on Jan 25, 2024

The 14th Edition of the Hyderabad Literary Festival Gets Bigger, Beyond Literature | Frontlist

In conjunction with the new venue of Sattva Knowledge City, the event will offer discussions about climate and science.

The Hyderabad Literary Festival (HLF), which has grown to become one of the city's largest cultural events in the last 14 years, is likely to expand beyond literature for its 14th edition, which will take place from January 26 to 28 at Sattva Knowledge City in Hitech City.

The three-day event will feature 15 different streams on topics such as literature, storytelling, Meet My Book, culture, indigenous and endangered languages, Kaavya Dhaara, interlude, moving images, Nanha Nukkad, Youngistaan Nukkad, climate conversations, science and the city, stage talks, workshops, and exhibitions.

Aside from the typical focus on literature, poetry, art, and culture, this year's schedule will include discussions about science and climate, as well as STEM booths, mobile scientific exhibits, and workshops. Talks by scientists, science journalists, and science fiction authors will be held in conjunction with the new site, Sattva Knowledge City, a business park and future hub for technology and science in the city.

Organisers say that in order to accommodate an estimated 40,000 people and comfortably host the diverse range of events, the venue has been relocated to a larger space, moving away from staple locations such as Vidyaranya High School, Hyderabad Public School (HPS), and Lamakaan.

Following the United Nations' declaration of the current decade as the 'International Decade of Indigenous Languages', the festival will host talks such as 'Vanishing Voices of the Andamans' by linguist Anvita Abbi; 'Articulating Adivasi Voices' by Adivasi poet and activist Jacinta Kerketta and journalist Nidhi Dugar Kundalia; 'One Life in Two Languages: President Murmu in Santali and English' by Santali author Damayanti Beshra and journalist Kasturi Ray; multilingual

Shashi Tharoor will present the Ajay Gandhi Memorial Valedictory speech; Ajay Gandhi, who helped shape the literature festival, died in 2021. Notable speakers include Javed Akhtar, Aakar Patel, Prahlad Kakar, and Mukund Padmanabhan, among others.

"HLF serves people of all ages, from children to adults. This year, we're expanding our focus beyond literature, culture, and art to include cinema, science, and linguistics. The 14th edition strives to be varied and inclusive," adds Vijay Kumar, HLF's director.