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The 13th edition of The Hindu Lit for Life 2026 is scheduled for January 17 and 18, 2026, at the Lady Andal School premises in Chennai. Under the theme "Love Every Bit of Lit," the festival will host over 100 speakers in 50+ sessions. 

2026 Featured Speakers

The 2026 lineup includes a mix of international prize winners and prominent Indian figures:

  • Literary Guests: Booker Prize winners Kiran Desai, Banu Mushtaq (2025 International Booker winner for Heart Lamp), and Deepa Bhasthi.
  • Public Figures: Former Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud (opening session on the Constitution), Shashi Tharoor (on Narayana Guru), and Gopalkrishna Gandhi.
  • International Authors: Japanese author Satoshi Yagisawa (Days at the Morisaki Bookshop), British philosopher A.C. Grayling, and French novelist Neige Sinno.
  • Diverse Voices: Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand, historian Manu S. Pillai, author Shobhaa De, and economist Arvind Subramanian. 

Key 2026 Schedule & Sessions

Date Session HighlightTime

  • Jan 17, 9:50 - 10:40 AM : D.Y. Chandrachud: Why the Constitution Matters
  • Jan 17, 10:40 - 11:30 AM : Imayam: Translation with Kavitha Muralidharan
  • Jan 17, 10:30 AM & 3:00 PM : Shantanu Tungare: Owning Your Digital Self in the AI Era
  • Jan 18, 11:15 AM - 12:00 PM : Viswanathan Anand: The Chessmaster and His Moves
  • Jan 18, 6:25 PM – 7:15 PM : Manu Joseph: The New Laws of Manu
  • Jan 18, 5:30 PM – 6:20 PM : Devina Mehra & Rohit Sarin: How to Become Wealthy at Any Age

Workshops & Special Events

  • Literary Treasure Hunt: A city-wide precursor held on January 11, 2026.
  • Workshops: Five dedicated sessions covering early Tamil epigraphy (Tamil Brahmi script), fitness, wealth management, playwriting, and navigating the era of AI.
  • Mobile Library: A community initiative launched on January 5, 2026, to distribute books across Chennai schools and neighborhoods. 

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