The ninth edition of the Kerala Literature Festival, held from January 22-25 on the beaches of

Kozhikode, reaffirmed its stature as Asia’s largest literary gathering and one of the world’s

most dynamic cultural forums. Drawing over 700,000 attendees and featuring 500+ speakers

across 350 sessions, the festival transformed the city’s iconic seafront into a vibrant public

platform for ideas spanning literature, history, science, politics, cinema, philosophy, and the

arts. Inaugurated by astronaut Sunita Williams and Kerala Tourism Minister Mohammed

Riyas, in the presence of actor Bhavana, and with Germany as Guest Nation, the edition stood

out for its international breadth, brilliant curation, and strong cultural collaborations.

A defining highlight was the historic participation of Sunita Williams, whose widely attended

sessions on life in space, resilience, and unity deeply inspired audiences, particularly

students. The festival also featured major intellectual voices such as Shashi Tharoor, who

reflected on the Indian Constitution and the legacy of Sree Narayana Guru, alongside global

figures including Abdulrazak Gurnah, Pico Iyer, Abhijit Banerjee, Pratibha Ray, Shobha De,

Kiran Desai, Satoshi Yagisawa, Ben Johnson, Jimmy Wales and many more. Salman Rushdie

and Romila Thapar joined for an online session. With an estimated ₹130 crore generated in

local economic activity and a carefully balanced programme of English and Indian vernacular

sessions, KLF 2026 strengthened Kozhikode’s global cultural identity and reinforced its

recognition as India’s first UNESCO City of Literature.