Mayfair Convention
Bhubaneswar
the programme
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10 am - 10.30 am
One Voice of Many Indians Padma Shri Haldhar Nag, Poet and writer
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10.30 am - 11.00 am
Women and Sport
Running for My Life Sohini Chattopadhyay, Author
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11.00 am - 11.40 am
The Sisterhood of Words History and Mystery
Swapna and Madhulika Liddle, Authors
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11.40 am - 12.10 pm
Poetry and Prose: It's in the Bones
Megha Rao, Poet
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12.10 pm - 12.40 pm
From Words to Pictures
The Alchemy of AdaptationsVikas Swarup, Author and Former Diplomat
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12.40 pm - 1.20 pm
Bhasa Nahi Ta Asmita Nahi (No Language No Asmita)
Gourahari Das, Writer
Basant Panda, Writer
Dr Sabita Pradhan, Writer
Swaraj Mishra, Writer
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1.20 pm - 2.20 pm
Lunch
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2.20 pm - 3.00 pm
English and Its Accents A Very Indian Language Peggy Mohan, Author
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3.00 pm - 3.40 pm
Maya Miriga: The Restoration of a Cultural Treasure
Sabita Mohanty, Contributor
Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, Filmmaker and producer
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3.40 pm - 4.20 pm
The Myths of India
Between Memory and History Devdutt Pattanaik, Author
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4.20 pm - 5.00 pm
Lapataa Stories
Amplifying Unheard Voices Meena Kotwal, Founder, Mooknayak
Meera Devi, MD, Khabar Lahariya
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5.00 pm - 5.30 pm
Naveen Patnaik
Former Chief Minister, Odisha
Day 1: September 21, 2024
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10.00 am - 10.30 am
Prompts for Poetry
Igniting Passion in the Young
Rabindra Kumar Swain, Author
Himansu Mohapatra, Writer and Translator
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10.30 am - 11.10 am
Writing on Music: From Begum Akhtar to Gulzar
Yatindra Mishra, Author
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11.10 am - 11.40 am
Thrils and Spills : Sparking the Imagination
Novoneel Chakraborty, Author
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11.40 am - 12.20 pm
Translation handicap for Odia literature
Asit Mohanty, Writer
Snehaprabha Das, Writer
Sangram Jena, Writer
Chinmay Hota, Writer
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12.20 pm - 12.50 pm
Growing Up Pangs
Writing for Young Adults Andaleeb Wajid, Author Shabnam Minwalla, Author -
12.50 pm - 1.20 pm
Chote Shehar, Badi Kahaniyan
Kisse Purane aur Naye Divya Prakash Dubey, Author
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1.20 pm - 2.10 pm
LUNCH
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2.20 pm - 2.50 pm
The Art of Biography
Knowing the Limits
Hindol Sengupta, Author
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3.10 pm - 3.40 pm
Finding Solace
Theatre and Therapy
MK Raina, Actor and Director
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3.40 pm - 4.30 pm
Postcards from Phulera: The Village as Muse
Faisal Malik, Actor
Durgesh Kumar, Actor
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5.00 pm to 5.40 pm
Tawaifs and Other Truths
In Their Own Tongue
Manjari Chaturvedi
Day 2: September 22, 2024
the speakers
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Sohini Chattopadhyay
Sohini Chattopadhyay
Sohini Chattopadhyay is a writer, journalist and National-award-winning film critic. Her journalistic work has been translated into German, Bengali, Tamil, Urdu and Malayalam. Her writing has been commissioned by leading publications across the world such as The New York Times, Guardian, Lancet Psychiatry, South China Morning Post, Hindu, Mint, and Caravan. She is a recipient of the Ramnath Goenka Journalism Prize, the Human Rights Press Awards citation, the Chevening Fellowship and the New India Foundation fellowship among several others.
Swapna Liddle
Swapna Liddle
Swapna Liddle is the author of several books on the history of Delhi. For many years she has also been closely involved in the movement to preserve historic sites and monuments. She works to popularise history and the cause of heritage protection through talks, heritage walks, and social and mainstream media. Her most recent books are The Broken Script: Delhi Under The East India Company And The Fall of The Mughal Dynasty, 1803-1857; Shahjahanabad: Mapping a Mughal City; and Gardens of Delhi, co-authored with her sister Madhulika Liddle
Madhulika Liddle
Madhulika Liddle
Madhulika Liddle is a novelist and award-winning short story writer, best known as a writer of historical fiction. Among her most popular books are the Muzaffar Jang series, featuring a Mughal detective in 17th century Delhi; and the Delhi Quartet, a four-book historical series of which the second novel, An Unholy Drought, was released in May 2024. Madhulika also writes fiction in other genres, such as social issues and humour, besides writing on cinema, food, and travel. She lives in Noida, India, and blogs at www.madhulikaliddle.com.
Megha Rao
Megha Rao
Megha Rao is a poet from Kerala, India. Her work has been featured on POETRY Magazine, Outlook, BBC Radio, Rollingstone, Harper’s Bazaar and Penguin Random House India. Her poetry podcast, Poems to Calm Down To trended at #1 on Spotify India and stayed on the top podcasts charts for two years. Megha is represented by leading North American, full service literary management company, Transatlantic Agency. Megha's new novel, Our Bones in Your Throat, is out now with Simon & Schuster.
Vikas Swarup
Vikas Swarup
Vikas Swarup is an internationally acclaimed author, who captured global attention with his very first novel, ‘Q&A’, which won the Boeke Prize of South Africa and the Prix Grand Public at the 2007 Paris Book Fair and was adapted into the Oscar-winning film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. His second novel ‘Six Suspects’ was made into a web series titled ‘The Great Indian Murder’ on Disney and Hulu. His third novel ‘The Accidental Apprentice’ has also been optioned for a film. His latest novel, ‘The Girl with the Seven Lives’, was published by Simon & Schuster India on July 15, 2024. His books have been translated into 47 international languages. Till recently, Vikas was also a career Indian diplomat, serving in several distinguished roles, including High Commissioner of India to Canada, Secretary (West) at the Ministry of External Affairs, and the official spokesman for the foreign office. After a 35-year stint in the Indian Foreign Service, Vikas retired in 2021. For the next two years, he served as the host of ‘Diplomatic Dispatch’, a weekly show on India’s parliamentary channel, Sansad TV, aimed at demystifying diplomacy. Vikas has written for numerous prestigious publications such as TIME, Newsweek, The Guardian (UK), The Telegraph (UK), Financial Times (UK), DNA (India), Outlook (India), and Liberation (France). He lectures around the world, and is the recipient of four honorary doctorates from the University of South Africa, Carleton University, Concordia University & the University of Guelph (Canada). He lives near New Delhi with his wife Aparna, a visual artist and photographer. They have two sons.
Dr Gourahari Das
Dr Gourahari Das
Gourahari Das is known for his multifaceted creativity in the field of Odia literature. A recipient of Sahitya Akademi award, he has an exquisite body of work which include novels, short stories, vignettes, essays, travelogues, plays and translations. With a vision that transcends the normal and a value system that is nurtured by his love for both tradition and modernity, he has been able to see and comprehend the nature of conflict and complexities of a society in transition. Many of his stories have also been made into stage plays, TV serials and radio plays. He has translated works of Yashpal, Krishna Sobti, Ruskin Bond, Kuldip Nayar and Benyamin. Das has many awards and laurels to his credit including Central Sahitya Akademi and Odisha Sahitya Akademi Award, Sangeet Natak Akademi Prize, Sambalpur University Award, Fakir Mohan Senapati Award of Utkal Sahitya Samaj.
Basanta Kumar Panda
Basanta Kumar Panda
Basanta Kumar Panda is the project director of Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Odia, under Central Institute of Indian Languages of the Ministry of Education. He was one among the experts who worked towards getting a classical language tag for Odia. With 14 books, 80 research papers on various aspects of language and four monographs to his credit, Panda has worked extensively for promotion and propagation of Odia language. At present, he is a member of the high powered committee for Indian Knowledge System constituted by the Ministry of Education and Odia Advisory Board of Bharatiya Jnanpith. He is also a member of the national focus group on language education, NCERT.
Dr Sabita Pradhan
Dr Sabita Pradhan
The Vice Chancellor of Odia University, Dr Sabita Pradhan is not only a published author but also has edited several works of Odia literature. She has translated two books into Odia - 'Brahmaputra Ra Akha Pakhere' which was published by Sahitya Akademi and 'Sei Sahasineemane', published by National Book Trust. She formerly headed the department of Odia at the Bhasha Bhawan, Visva Bharati, Santiniketan. Her areas of specialisation are Linguistics and Stylistics, Modern Odia Literature, Tribal Language, Literature and Culture. In the 1980s, she worked as a language investigator in the Academy of Tribal Dialect and Culture at Bhubaneswar and also earned a fellowship for doing research on tribal language from the Archaeological Survey of India.
Swaraj Mishra
Swaraj Mishra
A writer, quiz master, banker and a social worker, Swaraj Mishra wears many hats. Mishra started his career as a probationary officer in SBI in 1982 after a brief stint as a lecturer in English in a government college in Odisha. Though selected in Indian Civil Services- Allied Services exam in 1984 for Indian Defence Accounts Service, he chose to continue in the bank. As an assistant general manager in SBI, he worked in Odisha, Punjab, Maharashtra, Mumbai and Tokyo as the vice-president of SBI-Tokyo from 2005 to 2010. But in 2010, he resigned to come back to Odisha to pursue his interest in literature, journalism and social work. A prolific writer and orator, Mishra has published five books for children - Odisha Quiz, Cartoon Katha I and II, Babuna and Nua Abolakara Kahani. In 2019, he produced 'Rasagola', a short film for children that received critical acclaim.
Peggy Mohan
Peggy Mohan
Peggy Mohan was born in Trinidad, West Indies in 1952. She studied linguistics at the University of the West Indies, focusing on the evolution of Caribbean creole languages, and at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she studied linguistics and learnt Sanskrit. Her Ph.D. dissertation was a description of the Bhojpuri spoken by the Indian community in Trinidad, which she later investigated for the US National Science Foundation as a classic language death situation, publishing her report in Language in 1986. She has taught linguistics at Howard University, Washington DC, at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, and Mass Communication at Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi, and is now a Visiting Professor at Ashoka University, Delhi, teaching linguistics. She has written four books, three of them fiction (Jahajin, The Youngest Suspect and Walk in C-Minor, published by HarperCollins-India), and writes on language issues in India. Her fourth book is non-fiction: Wanderers, Kings, Merchants: The Story of India through its Languages (Penguin-RandomHouse). She has also completed a fifth book, now being edited for publication by Penguin-RandomHouse, which is also on language as a way of studying the history of the subcontinent. She has also written many articles on Indian English and on the teaching of English in Indian schools.
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Sabita Mohanty
Sabita Mohanty
Sabita Mohanty, Nirad Mohapatra's wife has a post graduate degree in Psychology from Utkal University. She has also done the Film Appreciation Course. She worked with the Indian Council for Child Welfare for nearly 35 years. She assisted Nirad Babu in production aspects during the making of many of his films. Besides she had always been the source of inspiration for his creative endeavours till his last days. Presently Sabita is working on a project to compile his entire ouvre including his critical essays on aesthetics, film scripts and other material relating to the film making process.
Shivendra Singh Dungarpur
Shivendra Singh Dungarpur
Shivendra Singh Dungarpur is an award-winning filmmaker, producer and archivist. He has produced and directed close to 1200 advertising films as well as short films and documentaries under the banner of his production house “Dungarpur Films”. His first feature documentary “Celluloid Man” (2012) won two National Awards. His second documentary “The Immortals” (2015) premiered at the Busan International Film Festival and won the Special Jury Award for the Best Film at MIFF 2016. His third documentary “CzechMate – In Search of Jiri Menzel” is a seven-hour epic in-depth exploration of the Czechoslovakian New Wave that has won critical acclaim from cinephiles around the world. British Film Institute and Sight & Sound Magazine voted the film amongst the top 5 releases of 2020. Passionately committed to film preservation and restoration, he established Film Heritage Foundation (FHF), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving and restoring India’s film heritage. FHF is the only non-governmental organization working in the field of film preservation in India.Shivendrais a member of the Executive Committee of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF), the Artistic Committee of the Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival in Bologna as well as of the Honorary Committee of the Nitrate Picture Show, George Eastman House’s Festival of Film Conservation. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of MAMI (Mumbai Film Festival) and of the Advisory Council of the India International Centre in New Delhi.
Devdutt Pattanaik
Devdutt Pattanaik
Devdutt Pattanaik writes on mythology, the study of cultural truths revealed through stories, symbols and rituals. He lectures on the relevance of both Indian and Western myths in modern life.He has authored and illustrated over 50 books, including Myth - Mithya, Jaya, Pilgrim Nation. Known for his TED talk and his TV shows such as Devlok and Business Sutra, he is a regular columnist for reputed newspapers like Times of India and Dainik Bhaskar.A medical doctor by training, he spent 15 years working in the pharma and healthcare industry. However, his study on the cultural impact of mythology began three decades ago.
Meena Kotwal
Meena Kotwal
Meena Kotwal, an indomitable force, has come to be regarded as a cherished figure in the media arena. A founding member of 'The Mooknayak' media venture, based in Delhi, she has created an unmatched legacy, one that is marked by courage, grit, and an unrelenting commitment to social justice. Throughout her sterling career, Meena has worked at several reputable media institutions, including 'BBC Hindi,' where she showcased her journalistic excellence. Her work has been featured in the esteemed Deutsche Welle (DWNews), the renowned German media outlet. This recognition, along with features in prestigious publications like 'The New York Times,' 'Le Figaro,' ‘Voice of America,’ 'Khaleej Times,' 'Arab News,' 'Jordan News,' and many more. In 2023, Meena Kotwal delivered her speech at University of Michigan, Harvard & University of Columbia. The recent survey report of Oxfam, a humanitarian organization and Newslaundry Media Institute on the representation of tribals, Dalits, and OBCs in the media has disclosed that “The Mooknayak” media gives opportunities to journalists and writers from the underprivileged sections of India. According to the survey report, The Mooknayak’s newsroom has the highest diversity in digital media. 54 percent of the journalists in the newsroom are from Dalit and backward societies. (Oxfam report : https://www.newslaundry.com/2022/10/14/in-2019-indian-media-had-zero-sc-or-st-journalists-in-leadership-roles-in-2022-its-still-zero). As a journalist, Meena's work is grounded in lifting up underrepresented communities, namely Dalits, backward classes, women, indigenous peoples, LGBTQ+ communities, and minorities. Her exceptional work has brought to light their stories, struggles, triumphs, and shed light on their experiences. What is perhaps most remarkable is her tireless, passionate drive to give a voice to the voiceless and uphold the rights of the most vulnerable. Meena's campaigns have led to significant changes, and she has been feted with several national and international awards, a testament to the impact and significance of her interventions. A proud alumna of Jamia Millia Islamia and the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Meena epitomizes the very spirit of a warrior-journalist who unflinchingly illuminates the world's darker corners.In a world where apathy and indifference reign supreme, Meena Kotwal stands tall as a beacon of hope, committed to the noble cause of fighting for equity and justice for all. However, Meena Kotwal now leads a media organization, which limits her ability to report from the field extensively. She remains consistently occupied with managing a team of approximately 20 individuals and driving the organization forward.
Meera Devi
Meera Devi
Meera Devi is the Managing Editor at Khabar Lahariya, the country’s only women-run brand of ethical and independent rural news. With 17+ years of reporting on rural issues, Meera specializes in investigative and caste-based journalism and policy reporting. Her special reports have included lifting the curtains off the administrative apathy around the broken healthcare systems combating tuberculosis in the rural hinterland of Uttar Pradesh. She also hosts a fortnightly show on local politics, titled 'Rajneeti, Ras, Raay'.
Naveen Patnaik
Naveen Patnaik
Former Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik needs no introduction. One of the most admired and respected political leaders in the country, he has been consistently ranked among India’s best-performing chief ministers year after year. He was the longest-serving Chief Minister of Odisha with an uninterrupted stint of 24 years (2000 to 2024). Under Patnaik's leadership, Odisha underwent a massive transformation from a BIMARU state to one that was hailed for its economic growth and social progress, posting a complete turnaround in human development indices, poverty alleviation, and industrial and infrastructure development. Patnaik was also lauded for leading a transparent and corruption-free government. Patnaik joined politics in 1996 after the death of his father, Biju Patnaik. First elected to the Lok Sabha from Aska, he was Union Minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government between March 1998 and March 2000, before moving to the state. Educated at Doon School and Delhi University, he has worked actively to industrialise Odisha. Apart from being a politician of unflinching integrity, he is a man of letters and culture. The bellwether politician has authored the critically acclaimed A Second Paradise: Indian Country Life 1590-1947; A Desert Kingdom: The People of Bikaner and The Garden of Life: An Introduction to the Healing Plants of India.
Rabindra K Swain
Rabindra K Swain
Rabindra K Swain has five books of poems, the last one being This House is Not for Knowing and five books of translation from Odia which include Sourindra Barik’s poetry collection Intimate as the Sky and Rajendra Kishore Panda’s Bahubreehi He earned his PhD with a dissertation on the poetry of legendary Jayanta Mahapatra and has had poems published in Weber Studies, The Kenyon Review, Times Literary Supplement (UK), Ariel (Canada), Critical Quarterly, The Literary Review, World Literature Today, Kunapipi, Wasafiri and Westerly. He was the managing editor of Chandrabhaga, a literary magazine that was founded and edited by Jayanta Mahapatra.
Himansu S Mohapatra
Himansu S Mohapatra
Himansu S Mohapatra is a former professor of English, Utkal University. Along with author Paul St-Pierre, Mohapatra has produced an edited volume of Odia stories in English translation titled The Other Side of Reason and, three books of translation - 'Following My Heart', an autobiographical work by JM Joardar; 'Battles of Our Own', an ‘industrial novel’ by Jagadish Mohanty; and 'Basanti: Writing the New Woman', the first woman-oriented Odia novel, written by nine authors in 1931. A selection of his literary journalism has been published as 'Model of the Middle'. His latest translation book is 'The Life and Times of Banka Harichandan', a coming-of-age novel by Dipti R Pattanaik. He studied at Sambalpur University, Odisha and University of East Anglia, UK.
Yatindra Mishra
Yatindra Mishra
Yatindra Mishra is a distinguished poet, author, music and cinema scholar. He has authored four poetry collections along with acclaimed works on Thumri singer Girija Devi, danseuse Sonal Mansingh, Shehnai maestro Bismillah Khan, playback singer Lata Mangeshkar and authorized biography of filmmaker Gulzar. He edited anthology on Ghazal singer Begum Akhtar. Recipient of many awards, including Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar, Kalinga Book Award, International Vatayan Poetry Award, London and many other. His book Lata: Sur-Gatha won six awards in a year, including prestigious 64th National Film Award (Swarna Kamal) for best writing on cinema and the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival Award, Mumbai. He was the Jury member for feature film category (central panel) of 70th National Film Awards, Jury Chairman for best writingof 69th National Film Awards, Jury Member for 66th National Films Awards, 52nd International Film Festival of India, Goa. He also conceptualized and curated a 50-day series of musical celebration titled Shree Ram Raag Sewa.
Novoneel Chakrabort
Novoneel Chakrabort
Novoneel Chakraborty is the prolific author of 19 bestselling novels, an e-novella and 1 bestselling short story collection, with his works being translated into multiple Indian languages. Almost all his novels have debuted in top 3 Neilsen listing across India. His Forever Series made it to the TIMES OF INDIA’s MOST STUNNING BOOKS of 2017 while The Stranger Trilogy became a phenomenal hit amongst the young adults with Amazon tagging it, along with his erotic thriller Black Suits You, as their memorable reads of the year. Selling over 2 million copies, he is India’s most popular thriller novelist. Known for his solid plotting, unpredictable twists and strong female protagonists, he is also referred to as the Sidney Sheldon of India by his readers. His immensely popular thriller series The Stranger Trilogy, Black Suits You and The Forever Series has been adapted into the smash-hit web series respectively. And work on some other books are going on currently. Apart from novels, Novoneel has written and developed several hit TV and original web shows for premiere channels like Mx Player, Sony, Star Plus, Zee and Zee5. He lives and works in Mumbai.
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Asit Mohanty
Asit Mohanty
Asit Mohanty is a researcher and litterateur of repute and has more than 30 books to his credit. Two of his most acclaimed works in Odia are 'Nabakalebara Katha' and 'Laxmipurana Katha'. He received Central Sahitya Akademi award and Odisha Sahitya Akademi award for translation in the years 1998 and 2008 respectively. One of his recently edited books on behalf of Shri Jagannatha Chetana Gavesana Pratisthana is 'Satabdira Nabakalebara' which chronicles the events and reports of Nabakalebara of Lord Jagannath from 1912 to 2015. Mohanty currently works as Editor (publications) with popular Odia daily 'Sambad' and is also the editor of monthly Odia digest 'Paurusha'. He has an Honorary DLitt from Utkal University of Culture, Odisha.
Snehaprava Das
Snehaprava Das
Snehaprava Das, a former associate professor of English, is a noted writer and translator from Odisha. Das has translated several Odia texts, including the first novel of Odia Padmamali, into English. Besides Padmamali, she has rendered other classics of Odia literature like 'Bibasini' by Ram Shankar Ray (the second novel in Odia literature), 'Mane Mane' (the first psychological novel) by Baishnab Charan Das, 'Prayaschitta' (a novel) and 'Utkala Bhramanam' (a poetry text) of Fakir Mohan Senapati, and 'Kara Kavita' and 'Bandi ra Atma Katha' by Pandit Gopabandhu Das in English. Besides translating, Das writes poems and stories. She has five collections of poems in English and two collections of English stories - Night of the Snake and Fog Whispers to her credit.
Sangram Jena
Sangram Jena
A bi-lingual poet and translator, Sangram Jena has published two volumes of English poems and four books of Odia poetry. His poems have been translated into English and other Indian languages and published in India and abroad in several prestigious journals, including 'Indian Literature', 'Kavya Bharati', 'New English Review' and 'Modern Poetry in Translation'. He has authored, translated and edited more than 50 books, both in English and Odia, including Gandhiji’s Odisha (two volumes) and Burmese Days. He has also translated many ancient and contemporary Odia poets into English and classics of world literature into Odia. He is a recipient of a senior fellowship, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. He has received the Sahitya Akademi Award for Translation. He edits Marg Asia, a literary journal in English and Nishant in Odia. He is a former vice-president of the Odisha Sahitya Akademi.
Chinmay Hota
Chinmay Hota
Chinmay Hota is a writer of essays, book reviews and fiction, both in English and Odia. He loves to translate fiction and non-fiction from Odia to English. His first book, Hits and Misses, a collection of light essays was published in 2010. He has written, edited or translated seven books so far. His translations have appeared in many reputed publications including ‘Early Women’s Writings in Orissa, 1898-1950: A Lost Tradition’, edited by Sachidananda Mohanty, ‘The Other Side of Reason: Oriya Stories from the Edge’, edited by Himanshu S Mohapatra and Paul St-Pierre, ‘From Bondage to Freedom’ edited by Jatindra K Nayak and Arun Kumar Mohanty, and ‘Reminiscences: Excerpts from Oriya and Bangla autobiographies’, published by Jadavpur University. He has translated an anthology of Odia poetry into English under the title ‘The Emerald Evening and Other Poems’ (2023).
Andaleeb Wajid
Andaleeb Wajid
Andaleeb Wajid is a hybrid author, having published over 45 novels in the past 15 years. Andaleeb enjoys writing different genres such as young adult, romance, and horror. Some of her recent books include The Henna Start-Up, which has been shortlisted for the Neev Book Award 2024, and Scare Walk, a horror graphic novel published by Harper Collins India. Her upcoming YA novel with Speaking Tiger is called Everything Sucks. Her young adult novel Asmara’s Summer has been adapted into a popular Amazon Prime series called Dil, Dosti, Dilemma.
Shabnam Minwalla
Shabnam Minwalla
Shabnam Minwalla is a Mumbaiholic, an ardent saree shopper, a murder mystery buff and an occasionally frazzled mother of three. She has spent all of her life with words -- working as a journalist with The Times of India, writing columns and features in various publications and non-fiction books about facets of Mumbai. What she most enjoys, though, is writing books for children and young adults. Shabnam’s popular books include Zen, The Six Spellmakers of Dorabji Street, What Maya Saw, Saira Zariwala is Afraid and the rib-tickling Nimmi series. She has won numerous awards, including the Auther Award, the Neev Book Award and the Atta Galatta Bangalore Literature Festival Prize.
Divya Prakash Dubey
Divya Prakash Dubey
Divya Prakash Dubey, a distinguished author, has penned 7 bestsellers, captivating readers with his literary prowess. His 7 audio shows on Amazon Audible have garnered immense love and popularity. Notably, he has contributed dialogues to the films PS1 & PS2, directed by the renowned Mani Ratnam, and to the web series "Dr. Arora," created by Imtiaz Ali on Sonyliv. Having previously excelled as a Corporate Marketing professional and content editor at a leading channel, Divya Prakash now dedicates himself entirely to writing. He crafts compelling narratives for movies, web series, and audio shows through his writer's room. He represents a new wave of Hindi authors who are reshaping the landscape of literature, rewriting the rules of the game.
Dr. Hindol Sengupta
Dr. Hindol Sengupta
Dr. Hindol Sengupta is a multiple award-winning historian and author of 12 books. He was trained as a filmmaker at the Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia, and in history, international relations, and business as a Chevening Scholar at Oxford, and a Knight Bagehot Fellow at Columbia University. He has a doctorate in international relations from the Geneva School of Diplomacy. He is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.
M.K. Raina
M.K. Raina
M.K. Raina is a well-known across India for his contributions as an actor, filmmaker and academic. Raina has directed over 160 theatre productions, and acted in more than 150 plays& amajor contributor to Indian New Wave cinema. He has been a fellow at the Stanford University and a scholar in residence at the Jamia Milia University New Delhi. He has been decorated with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the B.V. Karanth Lifetime Achievement Award among many others. He has been instrumental in reviving traditional folk theatre of Kashmir, Bhand Pather.
Nilanjana S Roy
Nilanjana S Roy
Nilanjana S Roy is the author of three novels, including Black River (shortlisted for the Golden Dagger) and has edited three anthologies, including Our Freedoms. She is also a columnist for the Financial Times and writes on books and reading.'
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Faisal Malik
Faisal Malik
Faisal Malik, an Indian actor, best known for his role of Prahlad Cha/ "Prahlad" Pandey in Amazon Prime Video and TVF’s Panchayat, Fraud Saiyaan, Black Widows and Anurgag Kashyap's Gangs of Wasseypur Part 2, and Saat Uchakkey. Also in Ariyippu directed by Mahesh Narayanan, to be his Malayalam debut. Faisal Malik hails from Prayagraj and has worked as an assistant director, promo producer, reality show producer, and line producer in Bollywood, Mumbai since over a decade. While Faisal had a brief stint acting in the 2012 film Gangs of Wasseypur, he gained fame after his role as Prahlad in the web-series Panchayat. He has co-produced web-series such as ‘Smoke’, ‘Revolver Rani’ and ‘Main aur Charles’.
Durgesh Kumar
Durgesh Kumar
Apart from playing Aadoo in the Hindi film Highway, Durgesh Kumar is best known for playing the role of Bhushan in the OTT web series, Panchayat. He has a postgraduate diploma in acting from the National School of Drama. He is an active member of Aranya Theatre and Ujjagar Theatre groups in Mumbai. Kumar considers actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui as his biggest inspiration.
Manjari Chaturvedi
Manjari Chaturvedi
Manjari Chaturvedi, a leading exponent of classical dance in India, is an unusual dancer. She has taken the traditional form of Kathak to a different level altogether and has created her own style, her own brand of dance. She has performed at over 500 concerts in 25 years in more than 36 countries with 405 musicians. Her work is vast, with performances at Europe (France, Germany, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, UK & Ireland, Armenia, Georgia), the Middle East (Dubai, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Kuwait), South East Asia (Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka) and Central Asia (Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan) along with Australia and America. Among many prestigious venues, she has performed at the Symphony Space, New York City, Judith Wright Centre For Performing Arts – Brisbane, Smithsonian Museum, Washington DC, Royal Festival Hall, South Bank Centre, London, UK, Sydney Opera House, Australia, National Gallery Of Victoria, Australia, Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi, and Parliament House, New Delhi.
