Bengaluru: The prestigious Mangaluru Lit Fest Award 2026 will be conferred to Member of Rajya Sabha, a renowned historian and Padmashri awardee Meenakshi Jain during the eighth edition of the Festival on January 10.

The Bharath Foundation, which is organising the Mangaluru Lit Fest has announced that the award will be conferred during the two-day literary festival will be held on January 10 and January 11 at Dr T M A Pai International Convention Centre in Mangaluru.

Dedicated to promoting the “Idea of Bharat,” the festival enters its eighth year with a stellar lineup of over 70 thinkers and experts. A special interaction session with the awardee, Meenakshi Jain, is also scheduled.

The festival will be officially inaugurated on the morning of January 10. The inaugural ceremony will be graced by distinguished personalities including Shatavadhani Dr. R. Ganesh, Meenakshi Jain, Captain Brijesh Chowta, Ravi S. (Mythic Society), and Dr. Ajakkala Girish Bhat.

Some of the sessions includes:

1.STRATEGIC AND GLOBAL DISCOURSE

The event features high-profile sessions on international relations and national security:

A. GLOBAL POWER GAMES                                                                                               

Former R&AW Chief Vikram Sood and Professor China studies O.P. Jindal Global University, Haryana Dr. Sriparna Pathak will engage in a dialogue on global power games.

B. GEOPOLITICS:

Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj (India’s first female Permanent Representative to                 the UN, O P Jindal Global University Associate Professor and the Consulting Editor, The Print Dr. Swasti Rao, along with journalists Aditya Raj Kaul, and Dr. Biddanda Chengappa will deliberate on India’s relations with its neighbours.

C. CIVILIZATION THOUGHT:

Ambassador T.S. Tirumurti with Dean of Jindal School of International Affairs Dr. Sreeram Chaulia, and Vijeth Kanahalli will discuss “Bharateeya Thought in a Globalized World.”

D. LITERATURE, MEDIA AND CULTURE

Literary Values: Kannada and Sanskrit scholars Shatavadhani Dr. R. Ganesh and Dr. Ajakkala Girish Bhat will lead a session on “Exploring Values through Literature.”

E. A TRIBUTE TO Padmabhushan Dr. S L Bhyrappa

A special session titled “Literature Growing in the Light of Bhyrappa” will feature Dr. R. Ganesh and Dr. G.B. Harisha.

F. MEDIA TRENDS

Smita Prakash (Editorial Director, ANI), Padmaja Joshi, and Surabhi Hodigere will debate the role of digital news in shaping the public sphere.

G. CINEMA AND CREATIVITY

Filmmaker P. Sheshadri, Malavika Avinash, and Pallavi Rao Karanth will discuss “Image and Thought.” Meanwhile, actress Ranjani Raghavan, Poornima Suresh (Su From So), and author Seema Burde will explore “Imagination, Narrative, and the Camera.”

H.ARTS:

A traditional puppet show by Ujjwala Krishnaraj will be a key cultural attraction.

Public Engagement

Organizers have confirmed that entry to the event is free for the public. A specialized book exhibition and sale will also be a major draw for attendees.

There are over 70 distinguished guests and speakers, participating  in various sessions of the two day event.