The Hindu Lit For Life returns for its 13th edition on January 17-18, 2026, at Lady Andal School in Chennai, uniting over 100 global voices in 50+ sessions under the theme 'Love Every Bit of Lit'. Pre-festival dialogues in multiple cities and community initiatives build excitement for this immersive celebration of literature's role in daily life.
Event Overview
India's sharpest literature festival, The Hindu Lit For Life, emphasizes how literature shapes culture, ideas, and conversations beyond books. The 2026 edition promises a dynamic mix of workshops, discussions, and interactions at the Lady Andal School premises. Free registration is open via www.thehindu.com/lit-for-life for the full agenda.
Key Highlights
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Over 100 speakers including Perumal Murugan, Shobhaa De, Kiran Desai, Shashi Tharoor, A.C. Grayling, and Arvind Subramanian explore narratives, philosophy, democracy, economics, and science.
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Pre-event Lit For Life Dialogues and Unplugged sessions in Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad featured Dr. Ambrish Mithal, Manu Pillai, Neha Dixit on themes like health, history, and identity.
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Ongoing engagements include a mobile library across Chennai, school storytelling, quizzes, treasure hunts, and contests leading to the main dates.
Voices From The Organizers
Curator Nirmala Lakshman highlights the festival's power to light up lives through inspiring speakers and direct exchanges. Suresh Balakrishna, Chief Revenue Officer of The Hindu Group, describes it as a year-round cultural platform fostering community and commerce ties under its vibrant theme.
Sources: The Tribune India, The Hindu, ANI News, Business Standard.