In a move to strengthen infrastructure and governance, the celebration saw the launch of “Airawat Outdoors” for MICE tourism and the unveiling of modernized procurement and Sound & Light show manuals. The Ashok Institute of Hospitality was officially repositioned as IHM Ashok to align with the national framework, while new gift vouchers and refurbished facilities at Hotel Samrat were introduced to enhance revenue streams. Additionally, a partnership with NITI Aayog teased the “Chalo India with Eric Ji” campaign to promote Mizoram’s tourism.

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New Delhi, January 29, 2026: The 14th edition of the annual Delhi Literature Festival (DLF) returns February 6–8, 2026, at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), Janpath. Rooted in the theme “Sahitya, Sanskriti aur Samriddhi,” the festival reaffirms its role as India’s most inclusive platform for ideas, dialogue, and cultural exchange. Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Hon’ble Union Minister for Culture & Tourism, will inaugurate on Friday, February 6 at 6:00 PM as Chief Guest.

Bringing eminent authors, thinkers, poets, policymakers, artists, and young voices from India and abroad, DLF fosters conversations bridging tradition and modernity. Through sessions, readings, performances, and reflections, it inspires critical thinking, nurtures creativity, and highlights literature and culture’s role in an informed, empathetic, prosperous society. The theme underscores that Sahitya (literature) and Sanskriti (culture) form the bedrock of holistic Samriddhi, extending beyond material wealth to intellectual depth, social harmony, and creative abundance.

Stellar Leadership Lineup 

Guests of Honour include Smt. Rekha Gupta, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Delhi; Shri Kapil Mishra, Hon’ble Cabinet Minister for Culture & Tourism, Delhi; Sushri Bansuri Swaraj, Hon’ble MP (Lok Sabha); and Dr. Meenakshi Jain, Hon’ble MP (Rajya Sabha). Keynote addresses by Shri Keshav Chandra, Hon’ble Chairman, NDMC; Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary and Executive & Academic Head, IGNCA; Shri K. Satish Nambudiripad, Director General, Doordarshan; and special address by Mr. Tim Curtis, Director and Representative, UNESCO India.

“Literature festivals are vital forums where ideas are questioned and perspectives expand, bridging writers, thinkers, and the public. Honoured by Delhi CM Rekha Gupta and Union Minister Shekhawat, we hope for continued government support,” says Dr. Ajay Sharma added.

Gen Z Takes Center Stage 

At a time of shrinking attention spans, DLF 2026 prioritizes deep discourse and cultural engagement, with curated sessions for Gen Z featuring influencers like Shalini Passi and Riya Sharma on themes of relevance to younger audiences.

“Platforms like DLF reaffirm deep thinking and cultural engagement. We’ve curated Gen Z sessions with voices like Shalini Passi to bring new generations into the literary conversation,” says Dr. Ajay Sharma, Member, Organising Committee, Delhi Literature Festival, 2026.

Global Ties and Powerhouse Conversations 

This edition coincides with the 70th anniversary of India-Spain diplomatic relations, marked as the India–Spain Dual Year of Culture, Tourism, and Artificial Intelligence—adding global depth to cultural dialogues. Over three days, join revered voices: Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, former Chief Justice of India; Vinod Kumar Shukla; Acharya Prashant; Rahul Pandita; Shalini Passi; Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri; Rahul Bhattacharya; Dr. Mani Rao; Nilotpal Mrinal; Shambhu Shikhar; and more. Sessions explore literature’s intersection with law, spirituality, journalism, art, and social thought.

“As a registered body since 2013, DLF nurtures quality literature like Jaipur Lit Fest. Our vision: a long-term discourse ecosystem,” Dr, Ajay Sharma emphasised.

DLF Author Awards 2026: 13 Categories, Stellar Jury Honours Lit Icons

The festival culminates in the Delhi Literature Festival Author Awards 2026, presented across 13 categories with distinguished authors serving on the jury, recognising outstanding contributions to literature and thought leadership. With its expansive vision and strong cultural ethos, DLF 2026 promises a landmark celebration of ideas, reinforcing literature and culture’s relevance in building a thoughtful, compassionate, thriving society.

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Symbiosis School of Culinary Arts and Nutritional Sciences, Pune emerged as the Winner of the maiden PHDCCI National Young Chef Competition (NYCC) 2025-26, while teams from Maharashtra State IHMCT and IHM Pusa, New Delhi were declared the 1^st Runner-Up and 2^nd Runner-Up respectively, at the Grand Finale held on 19 January 2026 at the Institute of Hotel Management, Pusa, New Delhi. The award for the Best Bhaja Dish was conferred upon the team from Chef’s Kitchen Institute of Culinary Arts and Hotel Management, Kolhapur.

The Grand Finale witnessed participation from 10 leading hospitality institutions representing all four zones of the country, including Asian Christian Culinary & Agricultural Science Institute, Hosur; Chef’s Kitchen Institute of Culinary Arts and Hotel Management, Kolhapur; Culinary Academy of India, Hyderabad; IHM Bhubaneswar; IHM Kolkata; IHM Kufri; IHM Pusa, New Delhi; IHM Hyderabad; Maharashtra State IHMCT, Pune; and Symbiosis School of Culinary Arts and Nutritional Sciences, Pune, underscoring the pan-India character of the competition.

The finalists were evaluated by an eminent jury comprising Chef Nand Lal Sharma, Deputy General Manager, Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation; Chef Debjeet Majumdar, Consultant Chef & Co-Founder, Passion 4 Hospitality; Chef Nitin Shende, Professor – Food Production, GIHMCT Nagpur; Chef Srinivas V, Executive Chef, Travel Food Services; and Chef M. Prabu, Joint Registrar, Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute, under the chairmanship of Chef Anil Grover, Certified WorldChefs Judge.

Gracing the occasion as the Chief Guest, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Hon’ble Minister of Tourism and Culture, Government of India, said, “Indian cuisine is among our most powerful cultural assets and a vital pillar of tourism-led growth. Our food traditions reflect the diversity, wisdom and lived heritage of our regions and our young chefs are the torchbearers of this legacy. He noted that rapid urbanisation and changing consumption patterns present Indian chefs with a unique opportunity to lead innovation in value-added, nutritionally balanced, and ready-to-eat food solutions rooted in India’s traditional knowledge systems. Platforms like NYCC are essential in nurturing chefs who are deeply rooted in tradition, yet globally confident and capable of representing India’s culinary excellence on the world stage.”

Organised by PHDCCI in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India; Indian Federation of Culinary Associations (IFCA); and Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council (THSC), the National Young Chef Competition marked the culmination of a six-month nationwide culinary journey celebrating India’s rich gastronomic heritage while creating a focused national platform for Indian cuisine.

Welcoming the delegates, Mr. Anil Parashar, Chair – Tourism & Hospitality Committee, PHDCCI, said, “NYCC was envisioned not merely as a competition, but as a national movement to restore pride in Indian cuisine among young professionals. By providing a credible, national platform, we are encouraging students to rediscover their regional food traditions and reinterpret them with contemporary relevance. The overwhelming response from institutions across India validates the relevance and timing of this initiative.”

The Steering Committee of NYCC comprised Chef Manjit Gill, President, IFCA; Chef Anil Grover, Certified WorldChefs Judge; Chef Sudhir Sibal, Founder Member, IFCA; Mr. Rajan Bahadur, CEO, Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council; Prof. Kamal Kant Pant, Principal, IHM Pusa; and Mr. Amarjit Singh Ahuja, Director – Procurement, Le Meridien New Delhi.

Delivering the theme address, Chef Manjit Gill, President, IFCA and Chair of the NYCC Steering Committee, said, “Indian cuisine is not merely a collection of recipes; it is a philosophy shaped by history, science and cultural memory. Before innovation comes understanding. NYCC encourages young chefs to respect the roots of Indian cooking and then reinterpret them with honesty, skill and responsibility. This is how we safeguard our culinary identity while preparing chefs for global kitchens.”

Mr. Rajan Sehgal, Co-Chair – Tourism & Hospitality Committee, PHDCCI, stated, “NYCC is a strong example of what collaboration between industry, academia and government can achieve. When young talent is supported through mentorship, national exposure and fair evaluation, it results in confident, employable and future-ready professionals.”

The Grand Finale followed an intense live cook-off format, challenging participants to prepare a traditional Bhojan comprising a bhaja preparation, main dish, vegetable preparation, pulses preparation, curd preparation, rice or bread preparation and a sweet dish within two and a half hours, with evaluation based on technique, authenticity, innovation, sustainability and presentation.

Presenting a brief on the NYCC journey and outlining the vision ahead, Ms. Shalini S Sharma, Assistant Secretary General, PHDCCI, said, “From the curtain raiser to four zonal rounds across North, East, West and South India, NYCC has engaged over 100 hospitality institutions nationwide. Our vision is to scale NYCC into a sustained national platform that identifies talent, provides structured mentorship, industry integration and positions young Indian chefs confidently on global culinary platforms.

Proposing the formal vote of thanks, Ms. Meena Bhatia, Co-Chair – Tourism & Hospitality Committee, PHDCCI, said, “The successful culmination of the first edition of NYCC reflects the collective commitment of government, industry, academia and our young chefs. PHDCCI remains firmly committed to institutionalizing NYCC as a flagship national initiative and expanding its impact in the years ahead.”

NYCC was supported by leading industry partners including TATA Consumer Products, Lee Kum Kee, Nestle Professional, Cremica Food Industries, Venus Industries, Hospitality & Kitchen Solutions (HAKS),Hilton, Roseate hotels and resorts, Wagh Bakri Tea Group, Welbilt India, McCain Foods, Chefs Unlimited, Le-meridian, New Delhi and Purchasing Professional Forum India (PPFI), whose continued engagement underscores strong industry confidence in the initiative.

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He appreciated HUDCO’s efforts to promote India’s rich art & culture!

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The state High Court will resume hearing on Monday after rival lawyers – Harish Salve for the Pilot camp and Abhishek Singhvi for the Congress – today slogged it out in the court. The counsel for the Speaker assured the court that no order shall be passed on the notice till 5.30 pm on Tuesday.

Salve questioned the constitutional validity of the disqualification notices Speaker CP Joshi issued to 19 rebel MLAs under the anti-defection law while Singhvi termed the case premature. The dissidents are saying that dissent against the CM is part of free speech and does not constitute defection, and also that the whip is valid only for proceedings in the Assembly, not at some hotel. The adjournment gives dissidents time to strategise even as the Rajasthan police today registered two cases on a Congress complaint accusing two of its MLAs and Union Minister Gajendra Shekhawat of horse-trading and a conspiracy to dislodge the Ashok Gehlot-led state government.

Congress leader Randeep Surjewala cited audio-taped conversations today to allege “horse-trading” by party MLAs Bhanwarlal Sharma and Vishvendra Singh and Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who dismissed the charges. The Congress also suspended Sharma and Singh from its primary membership.
As the bitter factional war in the Rajasthan Congress played itself out on streets, strategists agreed that the legal outcome would determine the future course. All eyes are now on the court. If Pilot can ward off the disqualification threat, the Gehlot government would remain on tenterhooks faced with prospects of a trust vote. Gehlot claims he has the support of 102 MLAs in a House where 101 is the majority mark. The Congress said its doors for Pilot were still open.

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has rejected the Congress’ allegation based on some audio clips that he was part of a conspiracy to topple the Gehlot government. “This is not my voice…. Let there be an investigation,” the senior BJP leader told the media after the Congress demanded his arrest.

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