The 4th edition of the Kathmandu Kalinga Literary Festival (KLF) is scheduled to take place on September 13 and 14 in Kathmandu.
This year’s festival is themed “Beyond Borders: South Asian Literature in a Changing World.” It will explore how South Asian writers and thinkers are contributing to global conversations on identity, climate change, inclusion, and cultural evolution.
According to a press statement jointly issued by festival director Vikash Bhusal and coordinator Pawan Thapa Magar, renowned Indian film actor, director, and producer Amol Palekar, along with scriptwriter Sandhya Gokhale, singer and actress Illa Arun, film and music scholar Yatindra Mishra, and popular YouTuber-turned-actress Prajakta Koli will participate in the event. In the festival, Palekar and Gokhale will speak in a session that will focus on Palekar’s biography Viewfinder: A Memoir. Likewise, Illa Arun will have a one-on-one conversation about her recently released biography by Penguin Random House, while Prajakta Koli will discuss her book published by Harper Collins. Actress Koli was recently named one of TIME’s 100 most influential digital creators in 2025.
The festival will be attended by more than 300 writers from Nepal, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
Founder and director of KLF Rashmi Ranjan Parida said the festival will highlight literature, music, dance, poetry, and other art forms. “It will be a lifetime experience for lovers of creativity,” she added, stressing the event’s role in promoting cultural ties between Nepal, India, and other South Asian countries.
The festival will feature panel discussions, keynote speeches, poetry readings, workshops, literary awards, and cross-border collaborations.
Jeewan Jyoti Digital Care from Nepal is partnering with KLF to celebrate the shared cultural heritage of Lord Shiva and Gautama Buddha in the Nepal-India literary context.
Kalinga Literary Festival is one of India’s major international literary festivals, first which originated in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. It has been organizing the Kathmandu edition since 2022.
