JLF set to return on January 30 next year; first list of speakers announced

New Delhi: International Booker Prize winner Jenny Erpenbeck, American literary historian Stephen Greenblatt, bestselling Italian American author André Aciman and royal biographer Tina Brown are among the 300 speakers participating in the upcoming 18th edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF), the organisers have announced.

Dubbed as the "greatest literary show on Earth", the festival, scheduled from January 30 to February 3, 2025, will be held at Hotel Clarks Amer in Jaipur.

The five-day literary extravaganza promises to be a "unique blend of cultural wealth, literary masterpieces, and a focus on a greener future, making it a literary festival like no other".

The festival aims to celebrate linguistic diversity, providing a platform for a wide array of languages. It will feature works and discussions in languages including Hindi, Bengali, Rajasthani, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Odiya, Sanskrit, Assamese, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, and Urdu.

"The Jaipur Literature Festival has always been a vibrant meeting place for stories, ideas, and cultures. As we prepare for our 18th edition, we celebrate literature’s power to inspire, challenge, and unite.

"This year, we welcome an incredible lineup of authors, poets, and thinkers, who will engage our audiences in unforgettable conversations and foster a shared love for the written word," said writer and co-director of JLF Namita Gokhale in a statement.

Also featuring on the first list of speakers are Nobel laureate Venki Ramakrishnan, historian Anirudh Kanisetti, Australian author Anna Funder, writer Cauvery Madhavan, physicist Claudia De Rham, British novelist David Nicholls, author Ira Mukhoty, actor-playwright Manav Kaul and Canadian writer John Vaillant.

The list also includes Nigerian novelist Irenosen Okojie, journalist-author Kallol Bhattacherjee, "Harry Potter" actress Miriam Margolyes, American author Nathan Thrall, novelist Prayaag Akbar, writer-filmmaker Priyanka Mattoo and Ukranian author Yaroslav Trofimov.

"This year, we aim to amplify JLF's impact, not just as a celebration of literature but as a powerful platform for storytelling that resonates with audiences worldwide. The festival offers unparalleled opportunities for partners, sponsors, and stakeholders to connect with a diverse and engaged audience, creating meaningful conversations and driving global visibility," said Sanjoy K Roy, producer of the festival.

The 11th edition of the Jaipur BookMark (JBM), which will be running parallel to the festival, will bring together a wide range of publishers, literary agents, writers, translators, translation agencies and booksellers from across the world and give them an opportunity to meet, talk business and listen to major global industry players.