Aamir Khan, Javed Akhtar to take part in 7th Ooty Literary Festival

New Delhi: Actors Aamir Khan, Kalki Koechlin, writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar, writer Sudha Murty are among the celebrated names participating in the seventh edition of Ooty Literary Festival, starting October 6.

The two-day literary festival, to be held at the century-old Nilgiri library, aims to be an all-encompassing cultural affair with a particular emphasis on engaging students and youth.

Paying homage to Ooty and celebrating its rich tapestry of literature, culture, history and heritage, the festival this year will put the spotlight on ecological importance of the Nilgiri biosphere and diverse communities.

It will also present Lifetime Achievement Award to one of Tamil Nadu's foremost writers Perumal Murugan on the occasion.

"Over the years, OotyLitFest has emerged as an important platform to present, preserve and promote Tamil Nadu's literature... This edition will also witness engaging dialogues, speeches and discussions from distinguished speakers including celebrated names like Aamir Khan, Apsara Reddy, Javed Akhtar, Jerry Pinto, Kalki Koechlin, Dr. Mahesh Rangarajan, Mansoor Khan, Sudha Murty and many more," said the organisers in a statement.

Some of the highlighted programmes during the festival include 'An Artist Re-creates The Magic of Ooty', where celebrated cartoonist Paul Fernandes will showcase his unique old illustrations that capture the spirit of Ooty and 'Hills Come Alive with Music', a musical extravaganza featuring leading musicians performing Blues, Sufi, and Jazz.

"'Igniting Minds in The Courtyard' is designed for the youth, this segment will have accomplished speakers guiding young minds on how to engage with both the natural world and their inner selves," the organisers added.

The festival will come to a close on October 7.