It&rsquo;s that time of the year when NCPA sees lovers of the written word gather around. The 17th edition of Godrej Literature Live will be held from October 23 to 25.
This year, writers from 18 countries will participate, with an emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion, history, AI, and climate change. And while there are plenty of sessions to pick from, here are 10 you shouldn&rsquo;t miss.
<h2>Sublime Verses</h2>
&lsquo;Kal kare so aaj kar, aaj kare so ab&rsquo; all of us have heard the famous doha by Kabir Das. But how many of us have ever given a second thought to the long-standing tradition of philosopher poetry in India? We&rsquo;re in luck.
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/Javed-Akhtar_1792256998_s.jpg" alt="Javed Akhtar" width="1280" height="720" /> Javed Akhtar
The brilliant Javed Akhtar will be launching his new book Three Masters, one that will take us through the still the dohas of Kabir, Rahim, and Vrind. Read the first line again, and don&rsquo;t procrastinate in booking your tickets!&nbsp; &gt;&gt;&gt; When: October 23, 3 - 4.30 PM What: Poetry with Javed Akhtar
<h2>Weapons of Economic Destruction</h2>
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/K-Basu_1792257047_s.jpg" alt="Kauhik Basu" width="1280" height="720" /> Kauhik Basu
All around us, trade routes are being threatened; tariffs and sanctions are being weaponised. What is India to do in the face of these challenges to the economic order? These fears will only subside if we listen to those who are trying to find an answer. Economists Kaushik Basu and Ajit Ranade will discuss how India can confront and negotiate the rapid and new international developments, while protecting our interests and preserving strategic autonomy in a fractured world.&nbsp; &gt;&gt;&gt; When: October 23, 5.30 - 6.30 PM What: Indian economy with Kaushik Basu and Ajit Ranade
<h2>Mumbai Maketh the Man</h2>
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/Jerry-Pinto_1792257086_s.jpg" alt="Jerry Pinto and Ratna Pathak Shah" width="1280" height="720" /> Jerry Pinto and Ratna Pathak Shah
Today&rsquo;s readers may be too young to recall the days of uncertainty and the upheaval that followed the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992. Jerry Pinto&rsquo;s new book Yuri and the City is set in the same backdrop, and brings in a lot of his own experiences that he has spoken of in the past. He will discuss the world of his book &nbsp;Mumbai 1992 with Ratna Pathak Shah and trace the outlines of India in the years that followed. &gt;&gt;&gt; When: October 23, 5 - 6 PM What: On Mumbai in the &rsquo;90s with Jerry Pinto and Ratna Pathak Shah
<h2>The Great Debate: Dangers of AI</h2>
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/Debate_1792257170_s.jpg" alt="PIC/litlive.in" width="1280" height="720" /> PIC/litlive.in
Talking about AI has become a clich&eacute;. But the Great Debate is asking a question that seldom comes up. Are tech companies weakening democracy with concentrated power and feeding on personal data, or are they giving ordinary citizens a louder voice? The debate will put up an exciting display of a clash of great minds like Jaspreet Bindra, Vandana Vasudevan, Natashi Joshi, Rahul Matthan.
<h2>The Doctor Is In</h2>
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/Cyriac-Phillips_1792257215_s.jpg" alt="Cyriac Abby Phillips and Mazda Turel" width="1280" height="720" /> Cyriac Abby Phillips and Mazda Turel
A lot is said about our approach to healthcare, much of which leaved us confused. So when we heard that Sunday mid-day&rsquo;s very own ex-columnist Dr Mazda Turel and Dr Cyriac Abby Philips were about to be in conversation, our ears were perked.
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/Mobile-gang_1792257246_s.jpg" alt="Pic/Instagram@sgnpreads" width="1280" height="720" /> Pic/Instagram@sgnpreads
Both will be discussing their memoirs, Turel&rsquo;s Bheja Fry that recounts stories from his time as a neurosurgeon, and Phillip&rsquo;s The Liver Doctor that raises uncomfortable questions for physicians. &gt;&gt;&gt;&nbsp; When: October 23, 6.30 - 7.30 PM What: On health with Dr Cyriac Abby Philips and Dr Mazda Turel
<h2>Gandhi matters</h2>
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/Guha_1792257272_s.jpg" alt="Ramachandra Guha" width="1280" height="720" /> Ramachandra Guha
Historian Ramachandra Guha, author of the new book Arguments with Gandhi, will take us through the arguments of Ambedkar, Savarkar, Lenin, Einstein and more. The session will show us the diversity of thought among some of the biggest leaders of the last century. &gt;&gt;&gt; When: October 24, 6.30 - 7.30 pm What: Gandhi&rsquo;s contemporaries with Ramachandra Guha
<h2>Ek shayar iss sheher mein</h2>
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/Gulzar_1792257324_s.jpg" alt="Gulzar and Rakshanda Jalil" width="1280" height="720" /> Gulzar and Rakshanda Jalil
We can admit that listening to some of Gulzar&rsquo;s best songs, our teenage selves tried our hand at songwriting. While we never became a songwriter or even a poet, we&rsquo;ve always wondered, how did he get so good? How does he see things so differently from the rest of us? What is the series of events that led to Gulzar becoming who he is? Those of us who ask these questions can now have answers, as Gulzar will come to talk about his new book of short fiction and poetry Aamchi Mumbai: My City in Stories and Poems.&nbsp; &gt;&gt;&gt; When: October 24, 2-3 PM What: Becoming Gulzar
<h2>Lines at Length</h2>
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/Ayaz_1792257347_s.jpg" alt="Ayaz Memon" width="1280" height="720" /> Ayaz Memon
India is in love with cricket. It is as ubiquitous as a game can be in a country. We don&rsquo;t just play it, we even read and write about it. We&rsquo;ve always wondered, what is the point of writing about it? Former editor of mid-day and veteran journalist Ayaz Memon, will pose the same question to the MP, co-author of the 2022 book Shadows Across the Playing Field, an ode to the game &mdash; Shashi Tharoor. Alongside him you will hear from cricket correspondent-turned-author Rahul Bhattacharya, all discussing why the lure still exists in cricket writing. &gt;&gt;&gt; When: October 24, 8 - 9 PM What: An ode to cricket with Shashi Tharoor, Rahul Bhattacharya, Ayaz Menon&nbsp;
<h2>The choices we make</h2>
<img src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/Jane_1792257391_s.jpg" alt="Shefali Shah and Jane Borges" width="1280" height="720" /> Shefali Shah and Jane Borges
What does it mean to live life on your own terms? Actor Shefali Shah will bring her experiences as she talks about her new book The Audacity of Being. In conversation with the author of Bombay Balchao Jane Borges, she will explore the concepts of love, loss, motherhood, and self-doubt. &nbsp; &gt;&gt;&gt; When: October 24, 4.30 - 5.30 PM What: Shefali Shah in conversation with Jane Borges
<h2>Grit &amp; Glory</h2>
While we binge on documentaries about sports, we don&rsquo;t know much about the realities of paralympics and the resilience of para-athletes. This session will change that, as we will hear from the forerunners about their efforts to build recognition of their world class achievements. &gt;&gt;&gt; When: October 24, 3.30 - 4.30 PM What: On paralympians with Arati Patil, Boria Majumdar, and Hrishi K

Mumbai’s lit fest returns next weekend with three days of celebrating literature. Here are our Top 10 suggestions of what not to miss

Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest: Your guide to everything you shouldn't miss

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Home / Sunday-mid-day / Article / Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest: Your guide to everything you shouldn't miss

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