By Dr Tania Saili Bakshi & Nikita Aggarwal
Dehradun, 27 Nov: The Chennai Literature & Art Festival 4.0, 2025, presented by the Valley of Words (VoW) Foundation in collaboration with the Chennai International Centre (CIC), is being held at the Music Academy Mini Hall, Chennai, on 29 November 2025. The festival brings together an exceptional constellation of authors, historians, diplomats, translators, artists and cultural voices, reaffirming Chennai’s growing prominence as a hub of literary and intellectual exchange.
This year’s edition followed closely on the heels of the 9th Edition of the Valley of Words International Literature & Arts Festival held on 25 & 26 October in Dehradun. The Chennai chapter is expanding that momentum, offering a full day of discussions, book launches, performances and cross-cultural dialogue.
The festival will open with the Book Launch of Experts Speak Series II: India’s Living Landscape – Nature, Water and Conservation, moderated by Dr C Chandramouli. Reflecting on the festival’s evolution and spirit, Dr C Chandramouli, Managing Director, CIC, notes, “What began as a small idea has grown into a warm and vibrant celebration of words, stories, and creativity, made possible through the joyful collaboration of CIC, VOW, and Sishya OMR School. As we gather again, we are delighted to witness new voices, fresh conversations, and the shared delight of literature and art that bring us together year after year.”
The festival’s Inaugural Session will feature historian Ramachandra Guha, who will speak on his work Getting to Know Gandhi: A Biographer’s Journey, setting an inspiring tone for the day.
A moving musical-literary experience, “Words and Music in the Rain”, led by Anil Srinivasan with Madhan Karky, Sikkil Gurucharan, Shreemathi Ramnath and Shreya Ramnath, blends performance and literature in a unique artistic harmony.
The Fiction segment features Bhaskar Roy discussing Border Crossers with R Chandrasekar, followed by renowned Tamil writer Imayam in conversation with Ramya Kannan, on his latest literary work.
In Non-Fiction, Aparajith Ramnath (Engineering a Nation: The Life and Career of M Visvesvaraya) and Bhushan Korgaonkar (Dalit Kitchens of Marathwada), moderated by Vidya Singh, will engage audiences with perspectives on history, identity and social narratives.
The festival’s first Translation segment showcases Arunava Sinha (Ten Days of the Strike) and Sayari Debnath (The Temple of No Gods) in conversation with Pradeep Chakravarthy. The second segment will feature Banibrata Mahanta (Lavanyadevi) and Dilraj Singh Suri (White Blood), moderated by Sanjeev Chopra, who shares, “This collaboration between the CIC and VoW is the way forward for taking our authors to new geographies and demographics.”
A major highlight will be the geopolitical dialogue, “The US-China Reset, Tariffs and Breakdown of World Order”, featuring Ambassador Ashok Kanth and Anup Wadhawan, moderated by Ambassador TS Tirumurti, offering sharp insights into shifting global dynamics.
The festival will conclude with the Valedictory Address by Ramji Natarajan, titled Passport to Imagination — Discovering the World through Cinema, followed by the Vote of Thanks from Dr Chandramouli.
The Chennai edition also celebrates VoW authors, including Banibrata Mahanta, Bhaskar Roy, Arunava Sinha, Sayari Debnath, Dilraj Singh Suri, Aparajith Ramnath, Bhushan Korgaonkar and Pradeep Chakravarthy, underscoring VoW’s commitment to elevating diverse Indian voices.
With rich discussions, engaged audiences and a remarkable lineup, the Chennai Literature & Art Festival 4.0 marks another meaningful chapter in VoW’s mission to advance literature, dialogue and the arts across India.
About The Author
