Mangaluru Lit Fest 8: Padma Shri Awardee Historian Meenakshi Jain to Be Honoured

Bengaluru, Jan 07: The prestigious Mangaluru Lit Fest Award 2026 will be conferred on Rajya Sabha Member, renowned historian, and Padma Shri awardee Dr. Meenakshi Jain during the eighth edition of the Mangaluru Literature Festival, scheduled for January 10 and 11, 2026.

Organised by the Bharath Foundation, the award ceremony will take place at the Dr. T. M. A. Pai International Convention Centre, Mangaluru, as part of the two-day literary celebration. A special interactive session with Dr. Meenakshi Jain has also been planned as a key highlight of the festival.

Dedicated to promoting the “Idea of Bharat,” the Mangaluru Lit Fest enters its eighth year with an impressive lineup of over 70 eminent thinkers, scholars, policymakers, artists, and media professionals from across the country.

Inaugural Ceremony

The festival will be formally inaugurated on the morning of January 10 in the presence of distinguished guests, including Shatavadhani Dr. R. Ganesh, Dr. Meenakshi Jain, Captain Brijesh Chowta, Ravi S. (Mythic Society), and Dr. Ajakkala Girish Bhat.

Key Sessions and Themes

1. Strategic and Global Discourse

A. Global Power Games
Former R&AW Chief Vikram Sood and Dr. Sriparna Pathak, Professor of China Studies at O.P. Jindal Global University, will engage in a dialogue on global power dynamics.

B. Geopolitics
Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj (India’s first woman Permanent Representative to the UN), Dr. Swasti Rao (Associate Professor, O.P. Jindal Global University & Consulting Editor, The Print), journalists Aditya Raj Kaul and Dr. Biddanda Chengappa will deliberate on India’s relations with its neighbours.

C. Civilisational Thought
Ambassador T. S. Tirumurti, Dr. Sreeram Chaulia (Dean, Jindal School of International Affairs), and Vijeth Kanahalli will discuss “Bharateeya Thought in a Globalised World.”

2. Literature, Media, and Culture

D. Literary Values
Kannada and Sanskrit scholars Shatavadhani Dr. R. Ganesh and Dr. Ajakkala Girish Bhat will lead a session on “Exploring Values through Literature.”

E. Tribute to Padma Bhushan Dr. S. L. Bhyrappa
A special session titled “Literature Growing in the Light of Bhyrappa” will feature Dr. R. Ganesh and Dr. G. B. Harisha.

F. Media Trends
Smita Prakash (Editorial Director, ANI), Padmaja Joshi, and Surabhi Hodigere will debate the role of digital news in shaping the public discourse.

3. Cinema, Creativity, and the Arts

G. Cinema and Creativity
Filmmaker P. Sheshadri, Malavika Avinash, and Pallavi Rao Karanth will discuss “Image and Thought.”
Actress Ranjani Raghavan, Poornima Suresh (Su From So), and author Seema Burde will explore “Imagination, Narrative, and the Camera.”

H. Arts and Cultural Showcase
A traditional puppet performance by Ujjwala Krishnaraj will be a major cultural attraction at the festival.

Public Engagement

Entry to the festival is free and open to the public. A curated book exhibition and sale will also be held throughout the two days, offering readers and scholars a unique literary experience.

With over 70 distinguished speakers participating across diverse sessions, Mangaluru Lit Fest 8 promises to be a vibrant confluence of ideas, culture, and intellectual exchange.