Delhi Literature Festival 2025 Commences; Literature is not a privilege for the few but a right for all,” says Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta
“Literature is a right for all”: Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta Inaugurates 13th Delhi Literature Festival
New Delhi, 2nd May 2025: The 13th edition of the Delhi Literature Festival (DLF) commenced today at Bikaner House, drawing a distinguished gathering of political leaders, celebrated authors, and cultural icons. The three-day literary celebration, themed “Delhi Writes: Voices, Visions and Verses,” will continue until May 4, 2025.
The festival was inaugurated by Shri Vijender Gupta, Hon’ble Speaker of the Delhi Vidhan Sabha.
The inaugural ceremony was also graced by Shri Keshav Chandra, Hon’ble Chairman of NDMC.
While NDMC is committed to promoting art, culture, and literature, it also looks forward to working with the Delhi Literature Festival team in the future. A special address was delivered by Mr. Tim Curtis, Director and Representative, UNESCO South India.
Delivering the keynote, Speaker Vijender Gupta remarked, “Literature is not a privilege, but a right. It is not only for the literate, but a right for all. It is a mirror to society, and festivals like these ensure that voices from all walks of life are heard and celebrated. Delhi, with its centuries-old legacy of ideas, art, and expression, stands tall as the cultural and heritage hub of India. It is only fitting that a festival of this nature is held in a city that has long been the cradle of creativity and intellectual discourse.”
The festival opened with a thought-provoking panel discussion on “Delhi as an Art, Cultural & Heritage Hub: Role of Social Media.” The session featured Ms. Sukhneett Wadhwa (fashion influencer), Ms. Sneha Chakraborty (mural artist and reformer), Ms. Anuradha Kumar Jain (author), and Dr. Swapna Liddle (historian and author), moderated by Mr. Arun Thapar, President, A+E Networks, Network18.
The inaugural session also featured the Delhi Literature Festival Awards 2025, which honoured a diverse and inspiring array of literary talent across genres. In the Fiction category, Swallowing the Sun: A Novel by Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri was recognised, while India on the Move by Marya Shakil and Narendra Nath won in the Non-Fiction category. Ebrahim Alkazi: Holding Time Captive by Amal Allana was awarded for Biography, and D. Subbarao was felicitated in the Autobiography category for his candid memoir Just A Mercenary. Legendary poet Gulzar was recognised for his evocative collection Caged in the Poetry category. The Short Stories award went to Whistles of the Siphoong by Rashmi Narzary, while celebrated author Ruskin Bond was awarded in the Children’s Literature category for The Hoopoe on the Lawn. A special Honorary Award was conferred upon Mr. Kamalakant Tripathi for his longstanding contributions to literature and the arts.
The first day of the festival witnessed a series of insightful sessions, beginning with Swallowing the Sun by former diplomat Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri in conversation with journalist Rahul Shivshankar. This was followed by a session on Mahabharat 2025: The Secrets of Shunya by author Divyansh Mundra, and a compelling panel discussion on Indian Renaissance: The Modi Decade featuring Dr. Aishwarya Pandit.
Over the next two days, the Delhi Literature Festival will continue to offer a rich lineup of panel discussions, book readings, poetry recitations, workshops, theatre performances, and interactive sessions, showcasing both established and emerging literary voices from across the country.
The Delhi Literature Festival continues to be a unique platform that brings together writers, thinkers, artists, diplomats, and the political class in a celebration of ideas, imagination, and storytelling. Since its inception in 2013, the Delhi Literature Festival has served as a vital platform for literary expression and cultural dialogue, celebrating the capital’s rich and diverse heritage.
