Latest news with #MysuruLiteratureFestival
The Hindu
14 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Mani Shankar Aiyar says India's fate doomed if not rescued from Modi's regime
Veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar dubbed Narendra Modi as India's worst-ever Prime Minister, and said that the country's destiny was doomed unless we rescue ourself from him and his rule. Speaking on the second day of the Mysuru Literature Festival here on Sunday, Mr. Aiyar said Mr. Modi, despite being elected by only one-third of Indian voters, had become the 'most authoritarian' leader the country has seen. 'Two-thirds of Indians did not vote for him, and even among Hindus, half did not. They understand that Hinduism is not Hindutva,' he said, accusing the ruling government of pushing an exclusionary agenda. He cited a study claiming that 110 of Mr. Modi's 159 campaign speeches in the last general election contained direct attacks on Muslims. Mr. Ayiar was asked to rate the various Prime Ministers – both past and present – and he said Jawaharlal Nehru towered head and shoulders above the rest. He rated Rajiv Gandhi as the second-best Prime Minister for the ideas he had for the country. Lal Bahadur Shastri had only about 18 months of tenure, said Mr. Aiyar but faulted his handling of the language agitation which broke out in Tamil Nadu. 'It was left to Indira Gandhi to salvage the situation but she went down in my estimation after the imposition of the Emergency,' said Mr. Aiyar. He was equally scathing in his remarks against P.V. Narasimha Rao and recalled that Babri Masjid was brought down during his regime and which, Mr. Aiyar said, helped lay the foundation for the rise of the BJP. The Congress leader warned that the BJP's push for 'one nation, one language, one culture, one election' was fundamentally flawed and went against the spirit of India and its diverse culture. 'To build India on the basis of uniformity is to destroy our unity,' according to Mr. Aiyar who said that India's strength lay in its ability to thrive on diversity. 'We are geniuses in how to live in diversity and celebrate it. No other country has succeeded like we have,' he added. Mr. Aiyar was critical of the BJP polarising the society or driving a wedge on the basis of cultural and religious differences, and said that India can only be built – as envisaged by Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru - by acknowledging its diversity and thus securing its unity. In reply to a question, he said that in a Parliamentary election, people don't vote for the candidate but for the party, and an individual does not count and larger issues determine the outcome. The literature festival, which was organised by the Mysuru Literary Forum Charitable Trust and Mysuru Book Clubs Charitable Trust, had sessions on social relevance of writing in times of Ted Talks, reels, vlogs, and AI-generated thriller contents, and polyamory in India. There were parallel sessions in Kannada on subjects germane to the present times, art, culture, cinema, etc.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Emergency should be remembered for the manner in which people resisted it, says Gopalkrishna Gandhi
Former West Bengal Governor, scholar, and diplomat Gopalkrishna Gandhi said that the Emergency should be remembered for the manner in which people offered resistance to it. Speaking at the Mysuru Literature Festival here on Saturday, Mr. Gandhi remarked that the Emergency was a nasty affair and nobody could deny it. Recalling that even Rajiv Gandhi had admitted in the Parliament that the Emergency should not have been imposed, he said that it was important to remember the people who resisted it and went to jail in the process. 'I do not think it is necessary to run down Indira Gandhi and others, and on its 50th anniversary, it is important to remember those who had the courage to resist the Emergency and fight it, rather than hurl abuses or throw stones posthumously at those who started it,' he added. Mr. Gandhi was replying to a question posed by the moderator during a session, and said during the Emergency people were going to jail and were unaware whether they would be released again and it is that courage that should be remembered. He said that forces of authoritarianism were all over the world, and ordinary people need guts to resist or fight it. On the issue of freedom of speech, Mr. Gandhi said that although it is given formally, it can be subverted in reality. The curbs to freedom of speech is not through a law, but through inducing fear in the ambience of the day, he added. On India's future in times of a politically charged environment, Mr. Gandhi expressed optimism and explained his point of view with two recent sporting moments. He recalled how athlete Neeraj Chopra's mother, after an international sporting event, graciously acknowledged that his son's Pakistani rival Arshad Nadeem had also performed admirably well and was like a son to her. Similarly, when Indian chess prodigy D. Gukesh defeated a top Chinese player, the former humbly referred to his opponent as the 'true champion', Mr. Gandhi mentioned. 'If two Indians can speak with such respect and generosity about a Pakistani and a Chinese competitor,' he said, 'there is hope.'
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Patriarchy exists in all cultures, a universal issue, says Banu Mushtaq
Kannada writer and International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq said that readers were perceiving a sense of universality in the central theme of her writings that exposes patriarchy. She was taking part in a panel discussion at the 9th edition of the Mysuru Literature Festival which got under way here on Saturday. The two-day festival is being organised by the Mysuru Literary Forum Charitable Trust and Mysuru Book Clubs Charitable Trust. The discussion, moderated by writer and poet Bharath Diwakar, included writer and translator Deepa Bhasthi. It touched upon various interconnected topics including patriarchy, activism, feminism, identity, culture, translation, among others. In reply to a question, Ms. Mushtaq referred to criticism from a section of the Muslim leaders that her works were exposing the weakness or faults within the community, while a few others sneered at her stating that she was writing to win praise. But this is not true, said Ms. Mushtaq, citing from reviews of her work from across the globe. She pointed out that the characters and themes have a universality and was not about Muslim community alone as patriarchy exists in all cultures. 'In a telling sign of changing perceptions, the same critics recently honoured me in Hassan,' she said. Ms. Mushtaq said literature cannot bring closure in conflict situations but help open the door to it. As a lawyer and activist, the mind is oriented towards finding a closure of a case and securing compensation. But as a writer, she leaves it to the reader to explore the various possibilities, and the literature only creates a space for it, she added. The writer underscored how characters in her stories never drift towards pessimism or despair, and there is an undercurrent of optimism, light, and hope that veer towards life. Ms. Bhasthi, who translated a collection of short stories by Ms. Mushtaq, said the latter did not micromanage her translation or check for every sentence. 'But when I had doubts or wanted more clarity on an issue, Ms. Mushtaq was always there,' said Ms. Bhasti, underlining the trust that defined their partnership. The two touched upon how their collaboration was described in some quarters as a 'work of a Muslim author and a Hindu translator'. An attempt was made to thrust religious identity, and it was uncomfortable. I took up the work as the theme is universal,' said Ms. Bhasti. Earlier, Pramoda Devi Wadiyar inaugurated the literature festival. Prahalada Rama Rao, a former scientist at the Defence Research and Development Organisation, who was the chief guest, said that culture, art, creativity, etc., can flourish only when there is security from both external and internal forces. He said there was a time when India excelled in various spheres, but in the absence of security, that progress was impeded, and the nation became vulnerable to invasions and cultural erosion. 'A secure environment is the foundation on which intellectual and artistic pursuits like literature, etc., can thrive,' he said. Shubha Sanjay Urs, founder and director of the Mysuru Literature Festival, was present. The organisers said the two-day festival has scores of discussions on various themes, and is a platform for dialogue and creative exchange of ideas reflecting the evolving intellectual and cultural landscape of India.
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
9th edition of Mysuru Literature Festival to be held on July 5 and 6; to dish out food for thought, ideas for reflection
The 9th edition of the Mysuru Literature Festival will be held in the city on July 5 and 6 and will serve food for thought and ideas for reflection on a wide gamut of issues germane to the contemporary times. The annual festival is organised by the Mysuru Literary Forum Charitable Trust and Mysuru Book Clubs Charitable Trust, and will be held at Hoel Southern Star. Shubha Sanjay Urs, founder and director of the Mysuru Literature Festival, said on Tuesday that the event will be inaugurated by Pramoda Devi Wadiyar of the erstwhile royal family of Mysore. International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq and former scientist at the Defence Research and Development Organisation Prahalada Rama Rao will be the guests of honour. The inauguration will be followed by panel discussions and sessions featuring a veritable 'Who's Who' from the field of arts, culture, media, etc., and the programme will open with 'Lighting the Way: Kannada, Women, and the Booker's International State', featuring Ms. Banu Mushtaq and translator Deepa Bhasthi in conversation with Bharath Diwakar. Gopalkrishna Gandhi, former Governor of West Bengal and grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, will speak on legacy in 'A Name Inherited, A Voice Earned', while Ranjit Hoskote, Arundhathi Nath, and Deepti Navaratna will discuss translation and global reach in 'Transcending the Barriers of the Dialect and Reaching Out to the World'. Anita Nair and Mark Abott will explore crime fiction, while Romulus Whitaker, Janaki Lenin, and Ishan Shanavas will discuss issues related to conservation. On the first day, there will be a session on 'Battles and Bloodbaths of Yore', which will feature Anirudh Kanisetti and Arun Krishnan who will discuss historical storytelling. On the second day, Mani Shankar Aiyar of the Congress will be in discussion with Aroon Raman on 'Decades of Diplomacy, Democracy, and Political Developments', while the environmental themes will continue with Stephen Alter, Susheel Gyanchad, and Priya Davidar. Ms. Urs said the two-day event features both Kannada and English panels, and it will have almost 20 conferences or discussions in English and as many in Kananda, including engagement with publishers and literary agents. There will also be book releases by new and upcoming authors among others. The poster for the literary festival was released.
