Chennai Lit for Life Day 2: Banu Mushtaq, Anand & More Shine
Chennai Lit for Life Day 2: Banu Mushtaq, Anand & More Shine
Day 2 in Chennai spotlights Banu Mushtaq's Heart Lamp, Viswanathan Anand, and conversations on literature, history, and modern India across The Hindu's Lit for Life.
Day 2 of Lit for Life in Chennai unfolds with a tapestry of conversations, performances, and mind-stimulating sessions that attract writers, thinkers, and fans alike. One of the standout moments centers on Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp, a session that peels back the stories behind stories and invites the audience into intimate, lived experiences from an International Booker Prize winner in conversation with Pankaja Srinivasan. The exchange promises to illuminate how personal narratives shape broader literary culture and reflect lived realities.
Parallel to the literary deep dive, chess maestro Viswanathan Anand takes the stage in The Chessmaster and His Moves, a dialogue that traverses strategy, discipline, and the craft behind iconic matches. Anand’s presence at the pavilion, where he signs copies and engages with fans, underscores the festival’s celebration of intellect and craft across disciplines.
The day also dips into contemporary history and politics with The Kashmir Connection, a conversation featuring A.S. Dulat and Ziya us Salam, moderated by Sobhana K. Nair at the pavilion. The session aims to unpack complex regional narratives and how they echo in broader national dialogues.
Further enriching the program are sessions like Icons who helped Build Modern India, with Aparajith Ramnath and Priyambada Jayakumar in conversation with Ramya Kannan, offering fresh takes on the people who contributed to shaping modern India. In a separate health-and-workspace segment, Dr. Ambrish Mithal and Raj Ganpath discuss The Weight Loss Revolution and Back Health in the Workspace, tackling contemporary concerns about wellness, lifestyle choices, and productivity.
The Hindu Pavilion, Showplace, and other festival venues in Chennai provide a vibrant backdrop for these conversations, inviting attendees to engage with ideas, stories, and insights on a sunny January day. Images from Day 2 capture the energy of readings, talks, and the informal exchanges that make Lit for Life a community affair, where literature, memory, and modern discourse meet in a shared space.
