As India commemorates 75 years of Independence, the question that will be discussed at this year's Khushwant Singh Litfest in Kasauli is, "Can our ancient, unchanging land be the catalyst for this year's Climate of Change" The three-day festival marks its 11th edition from October 14-16.
Interestingly, the festival organizers have made efforts to conduct the event while minimizing their carbon footprint through minimal waste generation. The event organizers share in their press note, "As we know, the ecosystem of wildlife, flora, and fauna is being mercilessly torn down all around us. In Kasauli, for instance, forest fires displace the leopards who are compelled to come into town, looking for pets and straying for food. There are flash floods from Bengaluru to Varanasi and Pakistan to Europe."
Rahul Singh, son of the late Kushwant Singh, says, "We, in Kasauli, are very conscious of the ecology and ecosystem because my father did much of his writing from here. The ecology here is fragile, and we as a community need to do something about it. Which is why, this year, alongside climate of change, climate change will be a topic of discussion at the festival". Singh recollects his father as a fearless man. "My father was someone who said it as it was. He was politically naive and did not care much for people's opinions. He was admired and hated for the same reasons. His humour was unparalleled. Be it about the education of girl children, Indo-Pak relations, or Sikh history, his most unique quality was his ability to communicate with the higher and the lower. And the festival essentially captures that spirit."
Poet and journalist Nirupamma Dutt, who has been associated with the festival since its inception, shares, "the festival has made Kasauli a cultural and literary hub. Come October, all roads lead to Kasauli. The warmth and bonhomie of Kushwant Singh are carried forward by his son and well-known editor, Rahul Singh, in an event like this. The festival truly celebrates the late Mr Kushwant."
This year's keynote speaker will be Amitav Ghosh, who will talk about climate of change. He will discuss how after 75 years of freedom, the planetary and near-existential crisis humanity faces.
The three-day Litfest will feature a distinguished panel of speakers, including Booker winner Geetanjali Shree, Rajmohan Gandhi, Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Tusshar Kapoor, Raj Mohan Gandhi, Sathya Saran, Mahua Moitra, Pavan Varma, Usha Uthup, Muzaffar Ali and Mallika Sarabhai.