15th edition of Hyd literature festival to kick off from Jan 24

Hyderabad: The 15th edition of the Hyderabad Literary Festival (HLF) is set to take place from Jan 24 to Jan 26, at the Sattva Knowledge City and T-Hub in HITEC City, Hyderabad. Announcing the event, special chief secretary of information technology, electronics and communications (ITE&C) department, Jayesh Ranjan, highlighted this year's diverse and distinguished lineup, featuring luminaries such as Subhash Ghai, Shabana Azmi, Ajit Mohanty, and many more. The three-day event comprises panel discussions, readings, cultural programmes, exhibitions, film screenings, workshops, and more, offering a rich and inclusive experience. Last year, the HLF attracted between 75,000 and 80,000 participants. This year's edition continues the festival's tradition of celebrating diverse cultures and languages. Lithuania has been chosen as the guest nation, while Sindhi will be the Indian language in focus. Building on the success of last year's additions, the festival will feature strengthened streams on ‘Indigenous and Endangered Languages', ‘Climate Conversations', and ‘Science and the City'.However, the key highlights of HLF 2025 include a plenary session with Shabana Azmi, celebrating 50 years of her illustrious career in cinema; tributes to poet Keki Daruwalla, with writers and readers reminiscing about his legacy; and the Ajay Gandhi Memorial Valedictory Session, featuring Harsh Mander, Rajmohan Gandhi, and Kalpana Kannabiran discussing the ‘Values of the Indian Constitution.' The festival will host an array of speakers, including Anita Nair, Amol Palekar, Arundhathi Subramaniam, Bittu Sahgal, Ileana Citaristi, Manoranjan Byapari, Neelesh Misra, Rajmohan Gandhi, and Romulus Whitaker. HLF is free and open to all. Attendees can register at hydlitfest.org/register to participate in the various sessions and workshops. This edition continues the festival's tradition of celebrating diverse cultures and languages. Lithuania has been chosen as the guest nation, while Sindhi will be the Indian language in focus