Day 3 at the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Series Jaipur Literature Festival was rich with substance and energy, featuring numerous sessions, awards, and book launches

The third day of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Series Jaipur Literature Festival unfolded with a spectacular blend of substance and grit, featuring a diverse array of sessions, awards, and book launches. The morning commenced with a mesmerizing lyrical performance by Trio One World, a classical crossover project that seamlessly merged western classical piano with Indian classical sitar and tabla. The Embassy of Switzerland presented this captivating performance, transporting the audience to an enchanting realm with Rohan Dasgupta on sitar and Pandit Udhai Mazumdar on tabla.

The day also marked the prestigious Kanhaiyalal Sethia Award 2024 being conferred upon acclaimed poet Arundhathi Subramaniam. This esteemed award, dedicated to the memory of Mahakavi Kanhaiyalal Sethia – a poet, educator, social reformer, environmentalist, and freedom fighter – was presented in collaboration with the Mahakavi Kanhaiyalal Sethia Foundation. The distinguished jury, including Namita Gokhale, Sanjoy K. Roy, Sukrita Paul Kumar, Ranjit Hoskote, and Siddharth Sethia, recognized Subramaniam's significant contributions to literature.

The morning's intellectual journey continued with a thought-provoking session titled "The Pale Blue Dot: Cherishing Our Planet," featuring Mukesh Bansal, Founder of Myntra and CureFit, Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa to the Prime Minister, and Neelkanth Mishra, Chief Economist of Axis Bank, in conversation with NDTV Group Executive Editor Vishnu Som. The discussion delved into humanity's role in the universe and India's position in the burgeoning space exploration industry. Kant emphasized the need for India to engage in space research for societal betterment rather than mere tourism, highlighting the crucial role of the private sector and the youth in advancing space exploration.

A highlight of the day was the session "Oppenheimer: The American Prometheus," featuring Kai Bird, co-writer of "American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer," in conversation with British journalist Jonathan Freedland. Bird's book served as inspiration for the 2024 Academy Award-nominated film "Oppenheimer," and the session explored the complex life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic age.

An exploration of Hindu texts and their interpretations unfolded in "The Power of Myth," where Anand Neelkanthan engaged in a conversation with Satyarth Nayak. Neelkanthan, known for the blockbuster Bahubali trilogy, challenged the colonial-era notion of 'One god, one Hindu' and discussed his new release, "Asura: Tale of the Vanquished," which explores different narratives of Raavan in Puranic texts.

The festival also celebrated the 40th anniversary of Namita Gokhale's iconic 80s novel, "Paro: Dreams of Passion," in the session titled "Paro Turns 40." Gokhale, along with journalist Pragya Tiwari, podcaster Eric Chopra, and literary agent Hemali Sodhi, reminisced about the groundbreaking novel that defied societal norms.

Nicholas Shakespeare, an award-winning biographer, shared insights into the life of Ian Fleming in the session "The Name is Fleming, Ian Fleming." Shakespeare's book, "Ian Fleming: The Complete Man," unraveled Fleming's journey from privilege to creating the legendary character James Bond, providing a glimpse into the author's access to naval intelligence.

Booker Prize awardee Damon Galgut engaged in a session with Anish Gawande to discuss his book "The Promise," exploring power dynamics in post-apartheid South Africa against the backdrop of four funerals. Galgut revealed his chaotic writing process and admitted to starting from obscurity and incoherence before finding his narrative.

The day delved into the pressing issue of the global climate crisis and its impact on India's primary energy needs in a session with Sumant Sinha, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of ReNew. Sinha highlighted the significant shift in focus towards climate change and stressed its central role in today's discourse.

Several thought-provoking sessions rounded off the day, including "Banned, Burned and Censored," which featured Mridula Garg, Kalpana Raina, Merve Emre, and Navdeep Suri in conversation with Nilanjana S. Roy. The panel discussed the escalating issue of book bans and censorship globally, sharing personal experiences of navigating through challenges posed by institutions in power.

Another compelling session, "Justice: The Voice of the Voiceless," brought together Justice Madan B. Lokur, Justice S. Muralidhar, Sital Kalantry, and Aparna Chandra in conversation with Chief Justice Raghavendra Chauhan. The panel explored the evolution of the Supreme Court over its 75-year existence, addressing concerns of executive interference and the lack of gender diversity in the collegium.

"The Palestine Laboratory" session featured Antony Loewenstein, Navtej Sarna, Charles Glass, and Kai Bird in conversation with Suhasini Haidar. The panel dissected the complex history of the Israel-Palestine conflict, shedding light on present developments and their potential impact on the region.

As the festival entered its final day, anticipation built for upcoming sessions with luminaries such as Sudha Murty, Patrick Radden Keefe, Shombi Sharp, Georgi Gospodinov, Shashi Tharoor, and US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Series Jaipur Literature Festival continued to be a vibrant platform for intellectual exchange and cultural celebration.

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