Festivals

FESTIVALS: WORDS THAT CROSS ALL BORDERS

by Editorial Desk April 25 2025, 12:00 am Estimated Reading Time: 5 mins, 12 secs

Khushwant Singh Literary Festival (KSLF) Returns to London and Debuts at Oxford in 2025 | 7th Edition in London – May 31 | 1st Edition at Oxford – June 3. The Daily Eye, proud to be media partner with KSLF, reports.

The Khushwant Singh Literary Festival (KSLF) makes a powerful return to the UK in 2025, marking its seventh edition in London on May 31 and an exciting first edition in Oxford on June 3. Honouring the legacy of one of India’s most beloved writers, the festival unites global voices under the timely theme, “Humanity Across Borders.” From literary stars featured in The New Yorker and The Guardian to powerful discussions on India-Pakistan relations, heritage, poetry, and peace, KSLF promises a vibrant cultural exchange at SOAS University of London and the University of Oxford. Free and open to all, registration is now live on Eventbrite.

The Khushwant Singh Literary Festival (KSLF), one of India’s most cherished destination lit-fests, is set to light up London once again with its seventh edition on May 31, followed by a landmark debut in Oxford on June 3, 2025. The London event will take place at the Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre at SOAS, University of London, from 11 AM to 7 PM, and will then travel to Oxford University, where it will be hosted in collaboration with the Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development and several academic partners. The Oxford edition will run from 4 PM to 7 PM.

The story of KSLF is as compelling as the man it honours. Rahul Singh, journalist and son of Khushwant Singh, recalls the inception of the festival with a mix of nostalgia and pride. “The idea germinated in 2012, in Kasauli, a military cantonment in Himachal Pradesh, 6000 feet high, where we have a family house and where my father did much of his writing. My father was still alive then, but too old to travel to Kasauli, and the suggestion to have a lit-fest there was bounced off on the Brigadier in Command, Anant H Narayanan—a very far-sighted man, who later became a Lieutenant General. He was enthusiastic. This was in June 2012, and we thought of having the lit-fest sometime the following year. ‘No, have it this year itself!’ the Brigadier insisted, and have it in the Kasauli Club (of which he was the President).”  

That spontaneous push led to the first KSLF in October 2012, chosen for its proximity to the Sanawar School Founder’s Day, allowing for convenience and synergy. “Due to the short notice, the audience we were able to muster was relatively small, around 200, though we got an array of well-known speakers.”

Since then, the festival has blossomed into one of India’s most respected literary gatherings. “From that year, the lit-fest has attracted some of the leading Indian writers, celebrities and politicians, and an audience of a thousand, coming from all over the country, even abroad,” says Rahul. “In the initial years, writers from Pakistan also came, with cars arranged to pick them up from the Wagah Indo-Pak border, right up to Kasauli. Their sessions were packed, the audience consisting of many young military officers posted in and around Kasauli, keen to hear the Pakistani viewpoint on Indo-Pak relations.” These exchanges were electrifying and emblematic of the festival’s founding spirit. But as he adds with a note of regret, “Sadly, due to deteriorating ties between the two nations, the Pakistani presence in Kasauli was subsequently banned.”

The London edition of the festival was introduced by Navtej Sarna, the then Indian High Commissioner in the UK, and a respected diplomat and writer himself. It was a fitting choice, given that Khushwant Singh studied law at King’s College London and served at the Indian High Commission in London—both institutions that shaped his worldview. “King’s was happy to host the festival in the early years,” Rahul recalls. “This year, we’re thrilled to bring it to SOAS, which is an academic home for South Asian and global dialogue, and to the hallowed intellectual halls of Oxford for the very first time.”

Now in its thirteenth year, KSLF stands tall as one of India’s only literary festivals to have been continuously held since its inception. “Apart from the Jaipur Litfest, the KSLF is the only litfest in India that has run uninterrupted—even during the COVID years, we held it online,” Rahul points out.

This year’s theme, “Humanity Across Borders,” couldn’t be more timely. It echoes the essence of Khushwant Singh’s writing—bold, compassionate, and rooted in a deep sense of shared humanity. The festival will dive into themes close to his heart: the fragile but vital ties between India and Pakistan, the rich traditions of South Asian poetry, the preservation of heritage and ecology, and the subcontinent’s unique culinary culture. One of the featured sessions will include the founder of the Stop the War Coalition, sharing harrowing yet inspiring tales from war zones. The launch of a poetry archive, along with readings and reflections from literary sensations who have recently graced the pages of the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, and The New Yorker’s Best Books of 2024, will round out the powerful program.

And in keeping with the egalitarian values of the festival’s namesake, entry is free and open to all. Registration is via Eventbrite, and the festival is made possible thanks to the tireless efforts of volunteers. Rahul Singh emphasizes, “The festival is managed by volunteers and offers of help in cash or kind are always welcome. It’s not just about literature—it’s about building a community.”

The Khushwant Singh Literary Festival continues to be a luminous tribute to one of India’s most prolific and beloved authors. As it takes root in London once more and ventures into Oxford for the first time, the spirit of Khushwant Singh lives on—not just in the bookshelves of readers, but in living, breathing conversations across continents.  

Do follow the festival here: https://kslitfestlondon.com/