10th edition of Mysuru Literature Festival begins

The tenth edition of the Mysuru Literature Festival being inaugurated by Pramoda Devi Wadiyarm, along with other dignitaries, in Mysuru on Saturday. | A. Sriram The 10th edition of the Mysuru Literature Festival began in the city on Saturday, bringing together authors, artistes, historians, entrepreneurs, and literature enthusiasts from across the country.Curated by Shubha Sanjay Urs and organised by the Mysuru Book Clubs Charitable Trust and the Mysuru Literary Forum Charitable Trust, the festival was formally inaugurated by Pramoda Devi Wadiyar of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family.Former diplomat and author Amish Tripathi, the guest of honour, referred to the legend of Goddess Chamundeshwari slaying Mahishasura and said Mysuru derived its name from that mythology.Paying tribute to the Wadiyar dynasty, he said the rulers had served the people of the region by establishing educational institutions and hospitals, while also developing well-planned cities.Author and entrepreneur Aroon Raman, another guest of honour, said he was delighted to be part of the festival’s tenth edition, recalling that he had also participated in its inaugural edition in 2017.On the occasion, the organisers felicitated Ankegowda of Pustaka Mane, Mandya, who was conferred the Padma Shri earlier this year.The festival also witnessed the release of several books by Pramoda Devi Wadiyar. These included Malgudiya Mayakarana Mane by Jayashree Jagannath and Shubha Sanjay Urs, coinciding with the 120th birth anniversary of R.K. Narayan.Other books released were Core Strength: Triton Valves – The First Fifty Years by Roopa Pai, Soulful Symphony by Hemamalini Lakshman, If Gandhi Returned by Rudrappa C., and Longing for an Elsewhere by Chandan Gowda.The covers of Inner Charioteer by R. Balasubramaniam, a full-time member of NITI Aayog, and Mysuru Lancers by Anil Raje Urs were also unveiled.The literary sessions began with a session by author Shatavadhani R. Ganesh, who spoke on the need to preserve literature and poetry.Later, in a conversation with journalist Shankar Bellur, aviation pioneer Capt. G.R. Gopinath shared his views on how India is transforming in contemporary times.K.S. Jayalakshmi, who publishes the Sanskrit daily Sudharma, spoke about her efforts to preserve classical and endangered languages such as Sanskrit and Saurashtra, while professor Chandan Gowda explained how the erstwhile Mysore State evolved into a model developmental State in India.The opening day concluded with the screening of the documentary Cauvery: The River of Life by Sanjay Gubbi. Published - July 04, 2026 07:55 pm IST