One of the most widely attended literature festivals in India, The Hindu Lit For Life 2026, was inaugurated in Chennai at Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao Concert Hall, on Saturday (January 17, 2026).
Speaking at inauguration, Nirmala Lakshman, Chairperson, The Hindu Group and founder of Lit for Life, said, “As an integral part of an independent media house, we carry with us the honest and fearless traditions of The Hindu… of adherence to democratic values, social inclusiveness, justice, truth and a firm commitment to the freedom of expression, which is the cornerstone of this festival.”
She added, “Across the globe, as well as here, we are witnessing threats to free speech and democratic spaces are shrinking. Writing sometimes becomes an act of courage, and festivals like these should celebrate and stand by the voices that dissent, voices that are often powerless, and become spaces where freedom and humanity is celebrated. We are very glad too that this festival provides the opportunities for festival goers to meet their favorite authors and engage with them directly. We are also organising book signings here, today and tomorrow, and one of the most joyful sights for us is to see how many people buy books. This year, we have sessions over three spaces. We have had festival gatherings such as LFL unplugged and the LFL dialogue in different cities, which have attracted huge audiences and proved to be very popular. We are hoping to add a mini children’s festival next year to encourage reading and thinking in young minds.”
Conversations more needed than ever: Grayling
Well-known British philosopher and author A.C. Grayling, one of the guests at the inauguration, said, “I’ve been attending literary festivals for more than 25 years, and in the last 15 years or so, I’ve noticed the proliferation of festivals all around the world, and some of the leading festivals in the United Kingdom, Australia, here in India, have become bigger and bigger as years have passed by, marking the fact that the conversation about books and what books contain, about the stories that we live by and tell one another, and the ideas that leap off the page are a great inspiration for the conversation that any society has to have with itself.”
Mr. Grayling, whose works such as The Goodbook and The God Argument, added that authoritarian sentiment and regimes have risen to greater prominence in our world and that “conversation is more acutely necessary than ever”.
“What authoritarians want to do is to shut us up. They don’t want us talking to one another, exchanging ideas, challenging one another, making one another think. And yet, the idea of a society staying alive, of keeping fresh, of always rethinking its assumptions, is so key to the whole debate that comes off printed page,” said Mr. Grayling.
‘Listen, read, resist haste’
Former Chief Justice of India, D.Y. Chandrachud, said that listen carefully and reading closely and resisting haste lies at the heart of literature.
“The Hindu Lit for Life has brought a convergence of writers who engage with history, with politics, music and even sport, their lives and work demonstrate that literature is not isolated from life. It converses with life, essays, memorials, fiction and cultural commentary together create a space where ideas travel across boundaries and disciplines judgment, whether literary or judicial, demands patience attention and an openness to complexity. The discipline of reading closely, listening carefully and resisting haste lies at the heart of both literature and justice. A jurist is trained to recognise that every case contains multiple truths, competing narratives and silences that must be heard. Literature sharpens this sensibility. It reminds us that behind every argument lies the human story, and behind every conclusion lies a responsibility to reason with care,” he said.
Justice Chandrachud added, “The Hindu Lit for Life affirms the enduring relevance of books in public life. It creates a shared space where ideas are tested in conversation rather than consumed in isolation by listening to one another across differences of language, belief and experience, we learn to recognize not positions or identities, but people, fellow human beings whose lives are worthy of attention and care.”
Suresh Nambath, Editor, The Hindu Group, said, “What makes this Literature Festival truly unique is its collective nature. Reading is often a solitary act, but festivals transform it into a shared intellectual experience.”
L.V. Navaneeth, Chief Executive Officer, The Hindu Group, said, “The Hindu Lit for Life features almost 50 sessions with over 100 speakers spread over these three venues and eight workshops at three distinct spaces.”
Suresh Balakrishna, Chief Revenue Officer, said, “We have had a record registration this year. As of half an hour ago, we have had 10,234 registrations. And that’s a record number for us so and this record gets beaten every year, and I’m sure next year it will be even bigger than this. But being the Chief Revenue Officer of this company, the lubricant for this whole festival. I have to thank all those people who provided the lubricant for making this festival so nice for all of you, so all our sponsors.”
The Hindu Lit For Life is presented by The all-new Kia Seltos. In association with: Christ University and NITTE, Associate Partners: Orchids- The International School, Hindustan Group of Institutions, State Bank of India, IndianOil, Indian Overseas Bank, New India Assurance, Akshayakalpa, United India Insurance, ICFAI Group, Chennai Port Authority and Kamarajar Port Limited, Vajiram & Sons, Life Insurance Corporation of India, Mahindra University, Realty Partner: Casagrand, Education Partner: SSVM Institutions, State Partner: Government of Sikkim & Uttarakhand Government
Official Timekeeping Partner: Citizen, Regional Partner: DBS Bank India Ltd, Tourism Partner: Bihar Tourism, Bookstore Partner: Crossword and Water Partner: Repute Radio partner: Big FM
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