Khushwant Singh Litfest 2026
The Khushwant Singh Literary Festival (KSLF) in Kasauli has always held a special place in my heart. I am a great admirer of the author after whom it is named. I first met him as a student in Delhi, and many times since, I had the privilege of editing his column "This Above All" at The Tribune; I provided some assistance to him with his books, which he so graciously acknowledged. I leaned on his knowledgeable and definitive books while writing mine. When he passed away on 20 March 2014, I wrote his obituary. Rahul Singh's Khushwant Singh: The Legend Lives On brings together tributes to the author in one volume, includes my piece, something I am proud of.
Set against the serene, pine-clad hills of the Kasauli Club, the festival carries the distinctive warmth, candour, and intellectual vigour that Khushwant Singh himself embodied. Returning to KSLF this year to discuss my latest book, Gurdwaras: Abodes of the Guru (published by Gentry Press), marks a meaningful milestone in a relationship with the festival that spans over a decade. This will be part of the session titled The Guru and The Gurdwara, where Kamla Kapur will also talk about her book on Guru Nanak. present her book. Aradhika Sharma will moderate the session on 24 October, 2026.
I have a long association with the festival, and this is my fourth time as a featured speaker. I first appeared on stage on 19 October, 2013, at the 2nd Edition, when we discussed Sikh Heritage: Ethos and Relics (published by Rupa). My co-author, Bhayee Sikandar Singh, and I were on the panel with diplomat and author Navtej Sarna and industrialist and MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney. We had a lively discussion on the preservation and ethos of Sikh heritage before an engaged audience.
The next time I spoke at the festival was for the 5th Edition, where I discussed a landmark book by Amardeep Singh, Lost Heritage: The Sikh Legacy in Pakistan, on 15 October, 2016. We explored the history, architecture, and memory of shrines and historical gurdwaras left across the border, and Amardeep's struggle to document them.
I attended the festival many times after that, as much as my office allowed. Still, it was after retirement that I was on the stage for the 12th Edition on 14 October, 2023, to discuss my book Sikhs: The Story of a People, their Faith and Culture (published by DK Books) in a session with Anuradha Kapur, the author of 'Kasauli Art Centre 1976-1991', moderated by the author and podcaster Mohua Chinappa. Aparna Sharma, the then Managing Director, DK India and her husband had come from Delhi to attend the event.
So many memories; looking forward to making many more!
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