JLF First Edition is delighted to host the virtual launch of Azra... Raza’s work, The First Cell, published by HarperCollins India.

Celebrated oncologist and author Azra Raza is a Professor of Medicine and Director of the MDS Center at Columbia University. Her new book, The First Cell, presents a new paradigm in the ongoing battle against cancer. A lyrical journey from hope to despair and back again the narrative ties together medicine and society. Raza's book emphasises the need for empathy, intelligence and optimism as a foundational tenet for new and groundbreaking research and explores cancer from every angle: medical, scientific, cultural and personal. Together with Pulitzer Prize-winning author and oncologist Siddhartha Mukherjee, she explores the complex tapestry of the disease and stresses the need to refocus the attention to the beginning rather than the end.

JLF First Edition is delighted to host the virtual launch of Anahita... Dhondy’s work, The Parsi Kitchen, published by Harper Collins India.

Chef, restaurateur and writer Anahita Dhondy’s food memoir, The Parsi Kitchen, is a tribute to her heritage, her love for food and documents her contemporary take on Parsi cuisine. In this beautifully photographed collection of memory, recipes and stories, Dhondy traces her family history, their travels and the culinary gems they have developed and enhanced through generations. In a session of food, memory and nostalgia, she speaks to writer Roshni Bajaj Sanghvi on Parsi cuisine and the intrinsic role it plays in her community.

JLF First Edition is delighted to host the virtual launch of Ashwiny... Iyer Tiwari's latest work, Mapping Love, published by Rupa Publications.

Director and writer Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari’s novel, Mapping Love, presents us with an intricate braid of belongingness, memory and troubled relationships. The narrative follows the journey of a girl recovering from her mother’s death while struggling with an estranged relationship with her father and being a caregiver to her dying grandfather. This courageous and nuanced book observes her attempts at coping with grief and bitterness, all while being presented with the prospect of a new romance. In conversation with Meghna Pant, Iyer Tiwari unfurls a tale of love and tragedy and the search for self in the midst of extreme loss.

JLF First Edition is delighted to host the virtual launch of Ravi... Shankar Etteth's latest work, Return of the Brahmin, published by Westland.

Author and political cartoonist Ravi Shankar Etteth’s latest, Return of the Brahmin, a sequel to The Brahmin, is a historical thriller following the escapades of King Ashoka’s most trusted ally and spymaster. In the midst of a violent conspiracy, Ashoka calls upon the Brahmin to protect the kingdom against a lethal foe and attempts to topple the empire. Etteth is also the author of Killing Time in Delhi, The Book Of Shiva, The Tiger by the River and The Village of the Widows. He is currently a consulting editor with The New Indian Express. In conversation with Senior Advocate C. Aryama Sundaram, Etteth discusses the nuances of historical thrillers and gives us a glimpse into this intricate vortex of death and deceit.

JLF First Edition is delighted to host the virtual launch of Ira... Mukhoty's latest work, Song of Draupadi, published by Aleph Book Company.

Ira Mukhoty’s powerful Song of Draupadi brings a symphony of strong feminine voices to invoke the story of the Mahabharata. Mukhoty's novel is a tribute to Draupadi and the women around her as they argue, plead, reason and rise from the embers of a grand epic that often focuses only on heroic men. Going beyond Draupadi’s journey as a sister, daughter, wife and queen, the narrative observes her dreams, passion and courage as she pursues her quest of blood and vengeance. In conversation with Sunit Tandon, Mukhoty discusses her attempts to illuminate these forgotten voices and their indomitable undying spirit.

JLF First Edition is delighted to host the virtual launch of Anindita... Ghose's latest novel, The Illuminated, published by HarperCollins India.

Writer and editor Anindita Ghose’s debut novel, The Illuminated, follows the unraveling lives of a mother and daughter in the wake of a personal tragedy. Skillfully negotiating shifting perspectives and worldviews, the narrative explores the tensions and continuums of a rapidly changing world. Ghose was until recently the Editor of the award-winning Saturday magazine Mint Lounge and previously Features Director of Vogue India. In conversation with author and broadcaster Sandip Roy, Ghose delves into the infinite questions of ambition, choices and freedom from deeply rooted patriarchy. This session includes a reading of select excerpts by celebrated actor Lisa Ray.

JLF First Edition is delighted to host the virtual launch of Nic... Low's latest work, Uprising: Walking the Southern Alps of New Zealand, published by Text Publishing Melbourne Australia.

In conversation with the High Commissioner of New Zealand to India, H.E. David Pine, author Nic Low discusses his alpine expedition and the story of his people. Low’s book intertwines his Ngāi Tahu and European New Zealander roots to present a narrative deeply rooted in his ancestors' connection to New Zealand’s Southern Alps. Traditionally known as Kā Tiritiri-o-te-moana, the mountain range played a deep role in his culture’s sense of identity and presented Low with an opportunity to explore current anxieties and conflicts of language, counter-culture and consumerism. Steeped in conversations with tribal leaders, family memoirs and his understanding of his own journey through the mountain range, he unfurls a mediation on history, land and the search for self.

The JLF First Edition is delighted to host the virtual launch of... Arvind Panagariyas latest work, My Father: The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man, published by HarperCollins India.

Economist, academic and writer Arvind Panagariya’s My Father: The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man is an ode to the power of sacrifice, determination and resilience. Baloo Lal Panagariya’s arduous journey, from a small village in Rajasthan to an editorial staffer at the Jaipur newspaper, Lokvani, and later a civil servant as well as author of a definitive book on history of the freedom movement in the region was marked by grit, belief and commitment. Providing a window into the social, cultural and political ethos of his times, the book highlights the contribution of ordinary citizens in the fabric of post-independence India. In conversation with Malashri Lal, as he explores the essence of his father’s life and its impact on his own career, he presents a new dimension of our country’s history.

Panagariya is a professor of economics and the Jagdish Bhagwati Professor of Indian Political Economy at Columbia University. He has also served as the first vice-chairman of the NITI Aayog. Malashri Lal‘s books include In Search of Sita, Tagore and the Feminine: Finding Radha and the most recent, co-authored with Namita Gokhale, Betrayed by Hope: A Play on the Life of Michael Madhusudan Dutt. She has been a Senior Consultant to the Ministry of Culture and served on international book award juries. Lal is currently Member, English Advisory Board of the Sahitya Akademi

JLF First Edition is delighted to host the virtual launch of Anjali... Joseph's latest work, Keeping in Touch, published by Context.

Keeping in Touch weaves a complex tale of love in the face of cultural friction, dreams, aspirations and disappointments. Exploring the nuances of a long distance relationship set between Assam and London, Joseph examines the intricacies of this dysfunctional love story and the contrast between the inner and outer lives of her characters. Joseph is the author of Saraswati Park, Another Country and The Living. In conversation with poet and novelist Jeet Thayil, she discusses the search for stillness in the midst of chaos and the delicate balance of attachment, intimacy and modernity.

JLF First Edition is delighted to host the virtual launch of Tahmima... Anam's latest work, The Startup Wife, published by Penguin Random House India.

Celebrated British-Bangladeshi author Tahmima Anam’s latest book, The Startup Wife, is a brutally honest yet humorous mediation on marriage, faith and aspiration. Following the journey of a newly married couple’s tryst with an exclusive tech incubator called Utopia, which allows people to perform religious rituals online, the narrative pulsates with undertones of technology and apocalyptic anxieties rooted within a cautionary tale. In conversation with poet and writer Janice Pariat, Anam explores the precarious balance between gender dynamics, startup culture and true love.

The JLF First Edition is delighted to host the virtual launch of... Easterine Kire’s latest work, The Rain–Maiden and the Bear–Man, published by Seagull Books.

A poet and novelist, Kire's new short story collection, The Rain–Maiden and the Bear–Man, weaves a fabric of magic and reality, and brews together oral narratives from Nagaland. Rooted in fantastical folktales brimming with human connection, the stories are illustrated in full colour by Sunandini Banerjee and unwrap a rich portrayal of the Naga natural and spiritual world. Kire's other works include A Terrible Matriarchy, Bitter Wormwood, A Respectable Woman and When the River Sleeps. In conversation with  editor and literary agent Preeti Gill, she explores these multilayered tales and the essence of their tradition, spirit and folklore.

The JLF First Edition is delighted to host the virtual launch of... Manan Kapoor's latest work, A Map of Longings: The Life and Works of Agha Shahid Ali, published by Penguin Random House India.

The Kashmiri poet Agha Shahid Ali passed away in 2001 but left a lasting impact through his intense writing where the personal met the political. Manan Kapoor’s recent book, A Map of Longings: The Life and Works of Agha Shahid Ali, is an immersive biography of one of the greatest, most iconic poets of the last century. Tracing Shahid’s life through Kashmir, New Delhi and the United States, Kapoor vividly maps the evolution of the poet’s complex legacy as well as the many lives he impacted. Kapoor is also the author of The Lamentations of a Sombre Sky.

The JLF First Edition is delighted to host the virtual launch of... Jairam Ramesh's latest work, The Light of Asia: The Poem that Defined the Buddha, published by Penguin Random House India.
The epic poem 'The Light of Asia' by Sir Edwin Arnold first took the world by storm in 1879. Sir Arnold’s rendering of the Bhagavad Gita was one of Mahatma Gandhi's abiding favourites.

Rajya Sabha member and author Jairam Ramesh’s book, The Light of Asia: The Poem that Defined the Buddha, makes an attempt to understand this important narrative poem that has now become a milestone in Buddhist historiography. Weaving together literary, cultural, political and social history, the book not only helps us understand the Buddha but also explores the life of the multifaceted poet who himself was steeped in Sanskrit literature. Ramesh’s other books include A Chequered Brilliance: The Many Lives of VK Krishna Menon and Intertwined Lives: PN Haksar and Indira Gandhi. In conversation with author and festival co-Director William Dalrymple, Ramesh inspects the form and style of this iconic poem and its everlasting impact on world history.

The JLF First Edition is delighted to host the virtual launch of... TM Krishna's latest work, The Spirit of Enquiry: Notes of Dissent as an Art Form, published by Penguin Random House India.

Acclaimed Karnatik vocalist, thinker and author TM Krishna’s latest book, The Spirit of Enquiry: Notes of Dissent as an Art Form, is a collection of some of his most groundbreaking texts. Thematically divided into five key sections, the book forces us to rethink deeply ingrained paradigms and is a piercing look into the crucial issues of our times. Winner of the Magsaysay Award, Krishna is also the author of Sebastian & Sons and A Southern Music: The Karnatik Story, among others. Academic and author Gopalkrishna Gandhi is a Distinguished Professor of History and Politics at Ashoka University. His books include Restless As Mercury, My Dear Bapu and Abolishing the Death Penalty. In conversation with Gandhi, Krishna gives us a glimpse into his beliefs, convictions and inspirations.