New Delhi: The Jaipur Literature Festival 2026, presented by Vedanta, concluded today with a powerful series of conversations that spanned graphic and manga novels, poetry, mythology, mathematics, reinterpreting historical narratives, and contemporary fiction, reaffirming the Festival’s role as a global forum where stories and perspectives intersect.
On the final day of the Jaipur Literature Festival 2026, British poet Alice Oswald captivated audiences in an early-morning session titled A Journey Through Words and Worlds. Opening with an invocation to Iris, the Greek goddess of the rainbow, Oswald read from a body of work that moves fluidly through themes of time, water, mortality, memory, and human connection. The session featured readings from A Short Story of Falling and A Barrister for the Dawn, as Oswald reflected on repetition as a foundational element of poetry.
Visual storytelling and popular culture took centre stage at Celebrating Manga and Graphic Novels. The session included A Silent Voice author Yoshitoki ?ima, with her translator Tomoko Kikuchi, and co-authors of Zoraver and the Lost Gods, Ujan Dutta and Abeer Kapoor, in conversation with Radhika Jha. ?ima spent time delving into her thematic choices of bullying, friendship, and communication from her series, A Silent Voice. The authors evaluated the power of images combined with text. Kapoor noted manga’s effective power in exemplifying themes such as perseverance, bravery, family, friendship, and more, which other creative processes, such as novels or films, cannot express.
Myth and imagination shaped The Legend of Kumarikandam, where Anand Neelakantan joined Mridula Ramesh to discuss lost civilisations, the enduring power of myth, and how storytelling continues to shape cultural memory and identity. The session began with a captivating video trailer for Anand Neelakantan’s book, Mahishasura: The Legend of Kumarikandam, which seamlessly blends mythology, science fiction, and fantasy.
In the session Legenda: The Real Women Behind The Myths, historian and television presenter Janina Ramirez, in conversation with journalist Narayani Basu, spoke about how throughout centuries, women’s lives have been erased, distorted, and moulded. Drawing from her book Legenda, Ramirez traced how figures such as Joan of Arc, Lady Godiva, and Rani Lakshmibai have been repeatedly recruited to serve nationalist and larger propagandist messaging, leaving little to no room for nuances and human complexity.
Contemporary society and generational change were examined in Gen Z, the Millennials and Mummyji, featuring Anurag Minus Verma, Santosh Desai, and Ria Chopra in conversation with Chirag Thakkar. Offering insights into shifting family structures, the pervasive digital culture, evolving social values and personal and social realities, the session covered many themes such as love, consumerism, and revolution. A core idea that tied all these threads together was that of identity creation and expression as propagated on and as a result of the internet.
Award-winning author Rachel Clarke spoke with Ambarish Satwik about her experience as she wrote The Story of A Heart, a story of the incredible journey of a heart transplant between two 9-year-old children. She talked about the conversations she had had with the donor family and the impact that had left on her. Clarke reflected on the need for crucial social changes needed around organ donations. Another thought-provoking conversation on climate action and energy alternatives at the Jaipur Literature Festival 2026 brought together Prem Shankar Jha, Avyanna Mehta, and Mridul Ramesh. The session explored sustainable growth, climate resilience, and India’s energy transition, reinforcing the festival’s commitment to urgent global conversations.
The much-awaited Closing Debate, Freedom of Speech is a Dangerous Idea, featured Ian Hislop, Pavan Varma, Alice Oswald, Anish Gawande, Navtej Sarna, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Navdeep Suri, and Fara Dabhiowala, moderated by Vir Sanghvi. The discussion examined whether freedom of speech, widely regarded as a democratic ideal, can become fraught in unequal political contexts. The moderator, Vir Sanghvi, opened by pointing out that the motion itself was cleverly worded. The real question, he suggested, was not whether freedom of speech is dangerous, but for whom it is dangerous.
Arguing for the motion, Fara Dabhiowala contended that free speech is deeply entangled with power and is often weaponised by those who already dominate public discourse, placing marginalised voices at risk. Ian Hislop acknowledged these dangers while underscoring the historical sacrifices made to secure free expression, pointing to the growing number of journalists imprisoned or killed worldwide, and noting the irony that absolute freedom often appears reserved for the powerful.
Opposing the motion, Pavan Varma reframed the debate as a question of moral courage, observing that dissent is increasingly criminalised and free speech unevenly applied. The debate highlighted the enduring paradox between free expression and power in contemporary democracies.
As the curtains fell on the 19th edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival 2026, the final day encapsulated the Festival’s enduring and inclusive spirit—bringing together diverse voices and themes to foster dialogue, curiosity and inspiration across borders and generations.
