Jaipur Literature Festival 2025: Know dates, theme, sessions and key guests of 18th edition

Jaipur Literature Festival 2025: The 18th edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) will be held from January 30 (Thursday) to February 3 (Monday) at Hotel Clarks Amer in Jaipur, offering a meticulously curated program that celebrates literature, culture, and global dialogue.

The Jaipur Literature Festival, the world’s largest literary event, is set to mark its 18th edition from January 30 to February 3, 2025. During a recent press conference, Sanjoy K Roy, Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, shared exciting insights about this year’s themes and events.

Teamwork Arts, the Festival’s producer, unveiled key highlights for this year’s event. Among the notable features is the Kanhaiya Lal Sethia Award for poetry, which will honour eminent and acclaimed Hindi poet Badri Narayan for his significant contributions to literature. A recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2022 for his collection Tumdi ke Shabd, Badri Narayan is renowned for his evocative poetry blending folk imagery with profound sociological insight.

Narayan is also a celebrated social scientist and public intellectual. 

The festival will explore pressing global narratives, with sessions delving into-

• Geopolitics
• War
• Climate change
• Arts
• Music
• Cinema,
• Sports

Over 600 speakers/guests to attend sessions

The event will bring together over 600 speakers, including Nobel laureates, Booker Prize winners, and luminaries across disciplines. Inclusivity remains a core focus, with Sign Language Interpretation Sessions facilitated in collaboration with Nupur Sansthan.

Additionally, the Jaipur BookMark (JBM), South Asia’s premier publishing conclave, marks its 12th edition, spotlighting translation, innovation in storytelling, and the role of AI in publishing.

This year’s key speakers include prominent names such as-

1. Abhijit Banerjee (Economist)
2. Amitabh Kant (Diplomat)
3. Andrew O’Hagan (Author)
4. Amol Palekar (Actor)
5. Esther Duflo
6. Anita Anand
7. Geetanjali Shree (Writer)
8. Kailash Satyarthi (Activist)
9. Miriam Margolyes
10. Javed Akhtar
11. Sunil Amrith 

The eclectic mix spans fields as diverse as literature, arts, culture, and social issues.

The festival continues to be a melting pot of ideas, featuring celebrated writers, thinkers, and cultural icons from across the globe. Festival Co-Director and historian William Dalrymple remarked, “The Jaipur Literature Festival serves as a global platform where the most influential voices come together to inspire and exchange ideas. It bridges cultural and intellectual divides, fostering collaboration in an interconnected yet divided world.”

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Writer and Co-Director Namita Gokhale added, “The festival draws inspiration from Jaipur’s living heritage and celebrates the traditions and voices of this vibrant city. It’s a space where cultures converge, ideas flourish, and the world reimagines itself.”

Sanjoy K Roy, Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, emphasised the Festival’s success as a celebration of ideas and stories, crediting the city of Jaipur and its citizens for their enduring support.

The Clarks Group of Hotels continues as a host, with Managing Director Apurv Kumar hailing the Festival as a symbol of Jaipur’s cultural legacy and inclusivity.

Beyond its literary sessions, the festival will feature-

• The Jaipur BookMark: A business hub for the publishing world
• Jaipur Music Stage which will have live performances by global artists
• Festival Bazaar: Handcrafted merchandise and artisanal products
• Food Stalls and Networking Events: A taste of Rajasthan's culinary heritage and vibrant social gatherings.

Theme of Jaipur Literature Festival

“This year, the festival will focus on the special theme of crime fiction, with notable writers from the genre participating. Additionally, poetry remains an integral part of the program,” Sanjoy K Roy, Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, said.

The 2025 edition will also explore the theme “Fractured World,” with sessions addressing current geopolitics, war and conflict, alongside topics like theatre, dance, music, cinema, sports, food, and climate change.

Festival Co-Director and award-winning historian William Dalrymple described the event as “a global platform bringing together some of the most influential voices from around the world.” He added, “This year’s lineup features over 600 luminaries, including Nobel laureates, Booker Prize, Pulitzer, and Sahitya Akademi winners, policymakers, and renowned writers.”

Sanjoy K Roy praised Jaipur and its residents for their unwavering support over the years. “The festival has grown into a vibrant celebration of ideas and stories, made possible by the spirit and enthusiasm of Jaipur and its citizens,” he said.