National, 21th February 2026: The much-awaited 3rd edition of the Dibrugarh University International Literature Festival (DUILF) commenced yesterday, marking the beginning of a vibrant four-day literary celebration. Organised by Dibrugarh University in association with the Foundation for Culture, Arts and Literature (FOCAL), a Guwahati-based non-profit Trust, the festival brings together over 150 authors from 25 countries and focuses on literature from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, bringing global perspectives and cross-cultural narratives through diverse and engaging literary conversations.
The festival began on an inspiring note with the presence of Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi, an acclaimed Indian author, who graced the occasion as Chief Guest and formally inaugurated the event. The opening day of the festival witnessed a strong turnout, with engaging sessions that kept the audience captivated throughout.
The opening session, “The Middle East and North Africa: Within and Without An Insight into the Region,” chaired by Talmiz Ahmad, former Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Oman, set a thoughtful and globally relevant tone for the day. Other highlights included an insightful session on “Life, Journalism & Literature” by Lucia Asue Mbomio, a Spanish journalist and author, as well as a compelling conversation on “Korean Literature and Society” with renowned Korean author Kyung-sook Shin and others. The day concluded on a vibrant cultural note with “BAZM-E-URDU,” featuring Minu Bakshi, a versatile artist, singer, poet and author, bringing together literature and performance in a fitting finale.
The second day of the festival continued with powerful conversations in sessions such as “Tea, Love and War: Searching for English Roots in Assam,” in conversation with David Mitchell, critically acclaimed English novelist and Ann Poyser, a British writer and editor based in Assam; “The Promise of India and its Prime Minister,” where Rahul Jain, the festival curator, was in discussion with Jaimini Bhagwati, former High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom; and “Making Sense of Jal, Thal and Mal,” where Sopan Joshi, renowned writer and environmentalist, engaged with students on environmental issues.
Over the two days, the festival witnessed a footfall of approximately 4,000 attendees, reflecting strong momentum and an enthusiastic response.
Rahul Jain, Curator and Chief Coordinator, DUILF, said, “Seeing thousands of students and literary enthusiasts come together and attend the festival thus far has been incredibly rewarding. I am excited about the next two days of the festival, and look forward to even more meaningful conversations and inspiring moments from our sessions in the days ahead’’.
With a strong and positive start to the first two days of the festival, curiosity now builds for Day 3 and Day 4, which promise deeper literary engagements and thoughtful discussions. Day 3 will feature compelling sessions on “Family & the Intergenerational Novel,” where VK Karthika will be in discussion with Shahla Ujayli, Shubnum Khan, Nasmeem F. Akhtar and Gisela Casimiro; and “Borne on the Heartland,” where Sumana Ramanan will be in dialogue with Ghazala Wahab, an Indian journalist, editor, and author known for her work on politics, security, gender, and society. The day will conclude with a powerful session, “Red Means Stop”, where Vasundhara, a renowned actor and writer, will interact with Simala Prasad, a government official, on the issue of human trafficking.
Day 4 will bring the festival to a meaningful close, beginning with a session featuring acclaimed author Ann Morgan in conversation with Gisela Casimiro, Mai Khaled, Shubnum Khan, Reem Kais Kubba and Leila Al Mutawa on “Of Identity and Belonging.” The day will further feature engaging sessions on “Tales of Hope and Courage” which will include Yuliya Musakovska’s poetry performance; “The UPSC Dream”, which will have Priyanka Kakoti in conversation with Sajjan Yadav, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, educator and author; and “Challenges in Modern Assamese Literature” where Debabhuson Borah will be in conversation with Pankaj Kumar Dutta, Arpana Konwar and Pallavi Deka Buzarbaruah.
With diverse minds sharing their journeys and ideas, the final day promises to leave audiences inspired, enriched and eager for the next edition of the festival.
