30 January - 3 February 2025 | Hotel Clarks Amer, Jaipur

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Urvashi Butalia

Urvashi Butalia

Urvashi Butalia is a feminist writer and publisher. She co-founded Kali for Women, India's first feminist publishing house and, when Kali closed down in 2003, she set up Zubaan, a feminist publishing house of which she is now Director. She has a long involvement in the women's movement in India and writes and publishes widely on issues related to women and gender. Her best known published work is the award-winning history of Partition titled The Other Side of Silence: Voices from the Partition of India. She is currently completing a new non-fiction work on the life of a transwoman.

Sessions

The Many North Easts

Daribha Lyndem, Jahnavi Barua and Aruni Kashyap in conversation with Urvashi Butalia

The world in the last decade has acquainted itself to the gems of north eastern literature. Whilst for the uninitiated it is a new culture to explore, for those who have been avid readers of this literary tradition, its popularity in the mainstream comes as no surprise. However, how does one define North-eastern Literature, the sub-cultures that it is made up of and its boundaries? An illustrious panel evaluates the representation of language, dialect, and socio-political narratives of the eight states and explores the place of their authors within larger literary traditions.

Kraft

Tess Lewis and Jonas Lüscher in conversation with Urvashi Butalia

Swiss-German writer Jonas Lüscher’s work, Kraft, is a social satire on our technological and consumption obsessed age and the roots of neoliberal fantasies.Translated into English by celebrated writer Tess Lewis, the novel explores a German Professor's attempts at winning a competition to be held at Silicon Valley. In a session evaluating world-weary European skepticism and irrational American optimism, the writer and translator give us a glimpse into the process of translating this text and the paradox of ideas and inquiry in a world dominated by the market.In conversation with writer and publisher Urvashi Butalia.

High Winds

Tilottama Misra and Udayon Misra in conversation with Urvashi Butalia

Off the Beaten Track: The Story of My Unconventional Life

Shahana Raza in conversation with Urvashi Butalia

Saaeda Bano's Off the Beaten Track: The Story of My Unconventional Life is translated from Urdu into English by her granddaughter Shahana Raza. It opens a window into the life and undying spirit of a doyenne of Urdu broadcasting and India’s first woman radio newsreader. In a conversation with writer and publisher Urvashi Butalia, Raza gives us a glimpse of Saeeda’s determination, independence and courage which provides a unique and crucial disruption in India’s understanding of the past.