Chandigarh, November 15<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Sumita Misra, IAS, Chairperson, Chandigarh Literary Society (CLS) & Festival Director, CLF Literati 2025(Chd. LitFest) held a curtain raiser press conference to give a low down on the upcoming CLF Literati 2025(Chd. LitFest) taking place from November 21 to 23. Dr Misra informed that the literary fiesta is being organised by CLS and that on Nov 21 a cultural evening will be held to mark the start of the festival. She said that the literary discussions will take place from Nov 22-23 at the Lake Club with the serene Sukhna Lake in the backdrop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Sumita Misra said, \u201cThis year\u2019s celebration of literature, ideas and imagination is themed \u2018Worlds Within Words\u2019. As many as twenty-seven (27) authors, poets, ad-film makers & artistes will take part in interactive sessions over two days. The festival will feature fifteen (15) thought-provoking sessions, four (4) book launches and one creative writing workshop.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have planned an interesting line-up of authors from across India and one from Australia who will be seen in discussion with well-established interlocutors on issues that continue to shape contemporary discourse,\u201d added Dr Misra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among the most anticipated names at this year\u2019s festival is Prahlad Kakkar, the advertising filmmaker and ad guru, known for iconic Ad Campaigns. Also joining the stellar line-up is acclaimed actress and poet Sandhya Mridul among other well- known names from the literary and art world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A cultural performance \u2018Saaz Au Aawaaz\u2019 by renowned artiste Bhuvan Sharma on the evening of Nov 21 at Rani Laxmi Bai Bhawan, Sec 38 will kick-start the lit fest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The literary exchanges will begin on Saturday, Nov 22 with a welcome address by Dr. Sumita Misra, followed by an opening address by Sh. Madhav Kaushik, President, Rashtriya Sahitya Akademi. Post this the following interactive sessions will be organised:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In \u2018The Power of a Story: Advertising Insights\u2019 Prahlad Kakkar will be engaged in a conversation by writer Aradhika Sharma; In \u2018Indian Democracy: Evolving Polity and Public Discourse\u2019 Shahid Siddiqui former MP known for his memoir \u2018I, Witness: India from Nehru to Narendra Modi\u2019; Rasheed Kidwai known for books like \u201824 Akbar Road\u2019 & \u2018The House of Scindias\u2019, and award winning journalist Neerja Chowdhury will be interacting with veteran journalist Ramesh Vinayak; In \u2018Bangladesh: The Story of an Unfinished Revolution\u2019 Deep Halder acclaimed author, known for his books \u2018Blood Island, Bengal\u2019, and \u2018Being Hindu in Bangladesh\u2019; and author & researcher Rami Desai , will have a tete-a-tete with senior journalist Kartikey Sharma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Day 2 of the festival shall witness two book launches \u2018The Silent Brave\u2019 by Mehak Grover and \u2018The Legend of Sanjhi-Giri\u2019 by Manju Jaidka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This will be followed by a session \u2018Shabd Ki Sugandh: Hindi Sahitya Ka Naya Daur\u2019 in which Madhav Kaushik, poet and biographer Chandra Trikha and motivational speaker & writer Chandra Shekhar Verma will engage in a conversation with senior journalist Shayada Bano; in \u2018Dil De Kaagaz Utte: Navi Leher De Kalamkaar\u2019 , Manmohan Singh (IPS) Retired & an acclaimed & award winning poet and author-poet Bubbu Tir will interact with author Ravee Pandher; in \u2018Chandigarh: The City That Is, and That Wasn\u2019t\u2019 architectural historian Rajnish Wattas will be seen in conversation with historian & author Rajiv Lochan; Dr. Sumita Misra a celebrated poet will be seen in conversation with journalist Manraj Grewal in \u2018She Writes, She Leads: Statecraft & Stanza\u2019; and in \u2018Untamed Silences: The Many Lives of Sandhya Mridul\u2019, Sandhya Mridul will be in conversation with writer and poet Sonia Chauhan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the evening of Nov 22, CLS in collaboration with ‘Nritya Praangan’, Bhavan Dancing Courtyard will present ‘Swarit Mudrayen’ a Bharatnatyam presentation by disciples of Dr Sucheta Bhide-Chapekar at Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan, Sec 27.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Day 3 – Sunday, Nov 23 the final day the festival, the fest will start with a \u2018Creative Writing Workshop\u2019 by Sonika Sethi and Deviyani Singh; \u2018Spiritual Chords: Stories of Change and Choice\u2019 shall see Shalini Modi who has written book \u2018Rasas in Divine Relationships and Immortality: A Boon or a Curse\u2019 and Krishnapad Das Krishna – a spiritual mentor with The Akshaya Patra Foundation in conversation with Annurani Sharma a bilingual poet, writer, and devotional singer; \u2018Roots and Recipes: A Wellness Conversation\u2019 shall showcase a discussion between Rujuta Diwekar India\u2019s leading nutritionist and public health advocate in conversation with academic and author Urvi Sharma; \u2018Bihar Diaries and Ground Zero: Real Heroes, Real Stories\u2019 will present Amit Lodha the IPS officer who\u2019s bestselling work \u2018Bihar Diaries, Life in the Uniform, and Police Affairs\u2019 was made into a popular OTT series and former national hockey player Veena Raman who is the wife of the late IPS officer Vijay Raman and has co-authored his memoirs, in conversation with IPS officer & author Arsh Verma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These sessions will be followed by the launch of two books \u2013 \u2018Life, Love and Us\u2019 by Sonia Vashisht Oberoi and \u2018Echoes of the Soul\u2019 by Ravee Pandher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Post the book launches, the sessions planned are \u2018 India Through Memory and Travel\u2019 which will see Sean Doyle an Australian author interacting with poet Sunaina Jain; \u2018Telling Tales, Touching Lives\u2019 will witness Shobha Tharoor an award-winning author and Mona Verma – another award-winning author in conversation with Sonika Sethi; \u2018Saaz Aur Sama: The Art of Qawwali\u2019 will see Classical Dancer & Creator of Sufi Kathak, Manjari Chaturvedi; founder-director of Rhyvers Publishing Group & Sufi Columnist Affan Yesvi and a sufi musician, popularly known as ‘Prince of Qawwali\u2019- Dhruv Sangari – in conversation with poet, translator, and researcher Dr. Vishakha Goyal; \u2018Seedha Samvaad\u2019 will showcase a discussion between prolific Hindi writer Balram and Vijay Kapoor a renowned poet, storyteller & playwright; \u2018From Krishna to Chanakya: Retelling Bharat with a Twist\u2019 will present English fiction author, Ashwin Sanghi in conversation with Aradhika Sharma the author of \u2018Sunita Williams: Astronaut Extraordinaire\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The festival will conclude with the CLF Literati Awards Ceremony in which CLF Literati Awards will be presented to winners in the Fiction & Non-Fiction categories of both English and Hindi by Dr. Sumita Misra and Team Literati.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Books Short Listed For CLF Literati Awards:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In English Non- Fiction<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Ahimsa: 100 Reflections on the Harappan Civilization\u2019 by Devdutt Pattanaik (Harper Collins Publishers India); \u2018The Undying Light: A Personal History of Independent India\u2019 by Gopalkrishna Gandhi (Aleph Book Company); \u2018In Pursuit of Democracy: Beyond Party Lines\u2019 by Najma Heptulla (Rupa Publications India); \u2018Another Day in Landour: Looking Out from My Window\u2019 by Ruskin Bond (HarperCollins Publishers India) and \u2018A Wonderland of Word: Around the Word in 101 Essays\u2019 by Shashi Tharoor (Aleph Book Company).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In English Fiction<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Unknown City: A Novel\u2019 by Amitabha Bagchi (HarperCollins Publishers India);\u2018Rosarita Pan\u2019 by Anita Desai (Macmillan India);\u2018The Comeback: A Novel\u2019 by Annie Zaidi (Aleph Book Company); \u2018The Ayodhya Alliance: Bharat Collection 8\u2019 by Ashwin Sanghi (HarperCollins Publishers India) and \u2018Whistles of the Siphoong: Tales from the Bodo Heartland\u2019 by Rashmi Narzary (Om Books International)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Hindi Fiction\/Non-Fiction<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Shubh Din\u2019 by Balram (Rajkamal Prakashan Pvt. Ltd); \u2018Kaamnaon Ki Munder Par\u2019 by Geetashree (Rajkamal Prakashan Pvt. Ltd) and \u2018Shea Butter\u2019 by Kaifi Hashmi (Lokbharti Prakashan)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Chandigarh, November 15 Dr Sumita Misra, IAS, Chairperson, Chandigarh Literary Society (CLS) & Festival Director, CLF Literati 2025(Chd. LitFest) held a curtain raiser press conference to give a low down on the upcoming CLF Literati 2025(Chd. LitFest) taking place from November 21 to 23. Dr Misra informed that the literary fiesta is being organised by […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19019,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[87,92],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\n