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Indo-American Arts Council to host literary festival in New York
The 2025 edition seeks to uphold IAAC's commitment to celebrating diversity, elevating underrepresented voices, and showcasing Indian excellence globally.
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Jeffin T. Kaleekal - Thu, 13, Nov 2025
- 22:29 EST
- 28
Speakers of the IIAC literature festival / Handout: IAAC
The Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC) is organizing the IAAC Literary Festival 2025 on Nov. 15 and 16 at the International House in New York City.
The festival brings together acclaimed authors, thinkers, and storytellers from around the world to explore South Asia’s rich literary and cultural landscape, from myth and mysticism to modern identity, innovation, and global citizenship.
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Talking about the two-day festival, Preethi Urs, director, IAAC Literary Festival, said, “Across borders and generations, Indian literature continues to redefine the global imagination. The IAAC Literary Festival is where those voices meet; bold, questioning, and alive with possibility. Voices that remind us that literature is not only art, but also the architecture of understanding.”
The keynote session will feature Sadhguru, also known as Jaggi Vasudev. Moderated by Grammy-winning musician Chandrika Tandon, the discussion will delve into how an awareness of mortality can profoundly enrich the way we live. This will be the only ticketed session in an otherwise free-to-attend event.
Apart from Sadhguru, the Nov. 16 phase of the event will also witness mythologist and storyteller Devdutt Pattanaik leading a discussion on his latest work, 'Escape the Bakasura Trap'. In his book, Pattanaik revisits the myth of Bakasura, the demon whose insatiable hunger becomes a metaphor for greed and inner emptiness, offering a mirror to our modern struggles with excess and desire.
The first leg of the event, on Nov. 15, will feature a vibrant lineup of South Asian and South Asian American authors, scholars, and creators, showcasing new works across fiction, poetry, memoir, cuisine, photography, leadership, and technology.
Highlights include Megha Majumdar’s National Book Award finalist novel 'A Guardian and a Thief', Padma Venkatraman’s verse novel 'Safe Harbor', Amish Tripathi’s 'The Chola Tigers', and culinary titles by Pooja Bavishi, 'Malai', and Sunita Kohli, 'The India Cookbook'.
Nonfiction sessions explore Indian American success 'Indian Genius' by Meenakshi Ahamed, 'Thinking with Machines' by Vasant Dhar, 'A CEO for All Seasons' by Vik Malhotra, and cultural journeys 'Transformed by India' by Stephen Huyler and 'Maha Kumbh' by Arjun Mahatta.
Panels on book-to-screen adaptations and a curated poetry showcase with Matwaala’s 10th-anniversary film round out a rich celebration of South Asian storytelling, moderated by prominent journalists, scholars, and industry leaders.
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