I had a conversation with Rahul Singh, to know the significance of the Khushwant Singh Literary Festival, writes Vinta Nanda. This interview chronicles the journey through the growth of the festival, and explores its unique cultural exchanges and expansion to London.

Photography: Vinta Nanda

Rahul Singh, the distinguished journalist, author, and festival director known for his deep commitment to cultural and literary exchanges, has been instrumental in establishing and sustaining the Khushwant Singh Literary Festival (KSLF), a platform that has brought together leading intellectuals, writers, and artists from across the world. His efforts have not only enriched India's literary landscape but also encouraged meaningful dialogue across borders.

Founded in 2012 by Rahul Singh in the serene setting of Kasauli, the Kasauli Literary Festival has grown into a significant event in India's cultural calendar. The festival is celebrated for its unique blend of literary discussions, cultural exchanges, and the inclusion of Pakistani intellectuals—a rare occurrence in India's military cantonments. Despite challenges, including deteriorating India-Pakistan relations and funding constraints, the festival has persevered, becoming a symbol of “resilience and renewal”, also the theme of the 2024 edition to be held from the 18^th to 20^th October. With notable emphasis on issues such as environmental preservation and the education of the girl child, the festival continues to attract prominent authors and thinkers, making Kasauli a hub of literary exchange. The festival’s expansion to London further cements its importance in the global literary scene.   

The Significance of Kasauli: A Literary Legacy

“The KSLF has flourished in Kasauli, thanks to the strong support of the local community and the region's historical significance”, said Rahul when I asked him about why the tiny hill station was chosen by them as the place to host the festival every year. He went on to add, “Kasauli is not just a picturesque setting but a place deeply intertwined with my father's legacy. My father found solace and inspiration in Kasauli, where he did much of his writing. The house, inherited by my mother from her parents, became a sanctuary for his creativity. This serene hill station, with its rich cultural backdrop, provided the ideal environment for fostering literary discussions. The unwavering support from the club and the successive brigadiers of the region has been instrumental in sustaining the festival.  

So, I’ll take you over to the rest of the wonderful conversation we had over a couple of days talking on phone calls and in person…

Origins of the Kasauli Literary Festival

Vinta Nanda: Since we're doing this interview about the festival, I thought we should go chronologically to understand its journey. You established the festival in 2012. What was the reason behind it?

Rahul Singh: Yes, in 2012, during that summer, we were in Kasauli. There was Brigadier Ananth Narayanan, posted there—Kasauli being a cantonment—who was very farsighted. He was from Kerala, and his wife, Aparna We became friendly, and we put the idea of having a lit fest to them. Ananth was very enthusiastic and said we should do it. He was the head of the Kasauli Club, which is run by the military. The Brigadier is always the chairman of the club, and the committee members are mostly retired military personnel, though there are some civilians too.

Vinta Nanda: Right.

Rahul Singh: The club had burned down 25 years ago and was rebuilt, making it a bit larger. It has a large terrace overlooking the valley, with a beautiful view of Chandigarh. The terrace could hold up to 1,000 people, making it ideal for the lit fest. Initially, we thought of doing it the following year, but Anand insisted we do it that October. Despite the short notice, we managed, with his help.

Unique Cultural Exchanges and the Involvement of Pakistani Intellectuals

Rahul Singh: For the first two or three years, we had Pakistanis attending the festival, which was quite unique and unusual, given it was a military cantonment. This kind of cultural exchange had never happened in India. The Pakistanis who came were astonished, saying it would be unthinkable in Pakistan to have Indian writers in a Pakistani cantonment.

Vinta Nanda: That’s remarkable.

Rahul Singh: Yes, it was a breakthrough. Anand personally ensured that the Pakistani attendees were collected from the Wagah border and driven to Kasauli. This journey through Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh was unforgettable for them. They were leading intellectuals, and one was a politician who had also written books. 

Memorable Figures and Contributions

Rahul Singh: One of the prominent Pakistanis who stands out is Fakir Aijazuddin—he was an art historian and the curator of the Lahore Museum, one of the best museums in the world. His family traces their ancestry back to Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He was a key figure in this exchange, as he had met my father just a few days before he passed away in 2014. Fakir was very fond of my father and asked for some of his ashes to take back to their village in Pakistan, where my father was born. He gave a moving speech at the lit fest and took the ashes back, placing them in a plaque at my father’s school. It’s still there today.

Vinta Nanda: That’s very touching.  

Rahul Singh: Yes, it was. My father was always keen on fostering closer ties between India and Pakistan, so having Pakistanis at the festival was significant. Unfortunately, after 2014, relations between the two countries deteriorated, and we were told that Pakistanis could no longer attend. I even wrote to Sushma Swaraj, who was the Home Minister at the time, asking her to allow them to come, but it didn’t happen.  

Challenges in Sustaining the Festival

Rahul Singh: It was a shame because their sessions were always packed, and there was a great exchange of views, especially with the young military officers in the audience. Retd. General Panag, who lives in Kasauli, also expressed his disappointment, saying that the interaction with the Pakistanis was invaluable. It’s unfortunate that this contact was stopped. The visa regime became stricter on both sides, making it difficult for Indians and Pakistanis to visit each other.

Vinta Nanda: Yes, it’s an issue on both sides of the border. 

Rahul Singh: Exactly. The last time we had Pakistanis at the festival was in 2014. Before that, I had been to Pakistan on a tennis exchange, and during the India-Pakistan cricket matches, they had relaxed the visa regime, allowing many Indians to visit Lahore easily. I attended one of those matches at the Gaddafi Stadium, and the Pakistani youngsters were cheering for the Indian team, mingling with us. It was a very touching time, but unfortunately, all that stopped.

Vinta Nanda: Yes, I do recall the time you’re talking about.

Resilience and Growth Amidst Adversity

Rahul Singh: Despite these challenges, we’ve held the festival every year except for the two COVID years when we had to move it online. The audience has grown from just a couple of hundred to about a thousand people now. Apart from the Jaipur Litfest, which began two years before us, ours is one of the only festivals that has continued without interruption. Many others have come and gone, but we’ve managed to sustain it despite the difficulties in funding.

Vinta Nanda: That’s impressive.  

Rahul Singh: Yes, though we struggle with funding, unlike the Jaipur Litfest, which receives substantial support. But Kasauli has been put on the literary map, and I believe we’ve contributed to increasing tourism in Himachal Pradesh. The club has also benefited from this.

Curating the Festival: Themes and Focus

Vinta Nanda: What is your criteria for the selection of books and authors you showcase every year?  

Rahul Singh: To have the festival around recently written books, you know, books that have come out fairly recently, discussion on those books and about literature in general. Two to three people are in the panels usually. And, the books can cover a number of topics. We usually have a theme every year.

Vinta Nanda: What's the theme for this year?

Rahul Singh: The theme for this year is "Resilience and Renewal."

Vinta Nanda: How lovely!

Rahul Singh: So, with that, you can cover a lot of subjects. There are a lot of wars going on, and also my dad was very keen on the environment, so there's a lot of emphasis on preserving the Himalayas and the environment, and the education of the girl child. That’s another thing we will focus on.

Vinta Nanda: Right.

Rahul Singh: And, of course, the importance of humour. My dad had a great sense of humour, so we try to include that too. We had Om Puri one year, and he was really very funny. A big hit with the audience I must say. Now of course, he is no more… So, humour, education of the girl child, the environment, and because this year will also be around the Kargil anniversary, it’s also dedicated to the Indian soldier.

Notable Participants and Celebrity Involvement

Vinta Nanda: Tell us about some of the authors from India and elsewhere who have participated.

Rahul Singh: We’ve had William Dalrymple, who’s written so much on India. He’s an Englishman, but he’s more or less settled in India. Shashi Tharoor has been there, Rajmohan Gandhi too. We’re trying to get Vikram Seth again this year. We’ve had Amitav Ghosh as well. Karan Thapar and Shashi Tharoor were also together at one session.

Vinta Nanda: That must have been interesting.

Rahul Singh: Yes, it was a big success. And then we had Milkha Singh one year because the film, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, had just come out. He had a massive draw. Some people questioned us and asked why we invited him since he wasn’t a literary icon, but he spoke beautifully in a mix of Hindi and English. We also had the director of the film, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra.  

Vinta Nanda: Farhan Akhtar was the actor.

Rahul Singh: Yes, he played the lead role. Rakeysh interacted with Milkha Singh. We also had Sharmila Tagore and Manisha Koirala at one session. Sharmila had written a book, and Manisha wrote about overcoming cancer. That was a huge sellout.  

Vinta Nanda: Bollywood sells, indeed.

Rahul Singh: Yes, it does. We’re still finalizing our list for this year, but William Dalrymple has confirmed, and we’re working on Vikram Seth. Kabir Bedi has also shown interest. We’ve had Asha Parekh, Shatrughan Sinha, and Anupam Kher in the past. They all had books out at the time. Om Puri had a biography, and Dilip Tahil came and sang one evening during the entertainment segment. He’s a great singer and was in the play Evita by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

You can donate to the festival or be a partner. Follow this link:
https://kslitfest.com/partner-with-kslf/

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https://kslitfest.com/

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https://kslitfest.com/crowdfunding/