November 2025: The 16th edition of Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest presented by Godrej Industries
Group successfully concluded on Sunday, reaffirming the city’s place as India’s
cultural and literary capital. Over three engaging days, the festival brought
together more than 120 celebrated authors, thinkers, and artists from India and
around the world.
Nadir
Godrej, Chairperson and Managing Director,
Godrej Industries Group,
said: “Literature has the power to distil
the essence of our times, to question, to comfort, and to connect. Through
Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest, we celebrate not just stories and ideas,
but the spirit of curiosity that drives innovation and progress. Every edition
strengthens our belief that creativity, whether in science, business, or art,
is rooted in the courage to imagine differently. We’re honoured to help sustain
a platform that keeps that imagination alive.”
The
festival featured an exceptional lineup, including Nobel
Laureate Venki Ramakrishnan, Booker Prize winner Shehan Karunatilaka, former
CJI Dhananjay Chandrachud, Shashi Tharoor, Shobhaa De, Jerry Pinto, Luke
Countinho, Anindita Ghose, Swati Pandey, Paromita Vohra, Tarini Mohan. A special installation titled “Letters to the
Future” offered a reflective space for attendees to share
their hopes for the next generation of readers and writers. Themes such as
diversity, inclusion and creativity, the evolution of Indian identity, and the
power of narrative to drive social change dominated this year’s conversations.
Among
the highlights was the prestigious Godrej Literature Live! Awards,
honouring excellence across Fiction, Non-Fiction, Business Writing, and
Playwriting. The festival’s top honours — the Poet Laureate Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award
— were conferred upon Shri Sitanshu Yashaschandra
and Shri Vinod Kumar Shukla,
respectively, in recognition of their outstanding literary contributions.
Amy
Fernandes, Festival Co-Director, added, “A
fabulous finish to the 16th year of the Mumbai LifFest. What began as a
gathering of readers and writers 15 years ago has grown into a vibrant exchange
of ideas that transcends genres and generations. With Godrej Industries as our
partner in purpose, we continue to nurture this spirit, keeping literature
relevant, inclusive, and deeply intertwined with the cultural pulse of our
city, Mumbai and the world around us.”
Building
on its commitment to inclusion, this year’s LitFest took accessibility a step
further with over 15 sessions interpreted in Indian Sign Language (ISL) by Access
for All. The organization also conducted a zine-making workshop for
children, aimed at nurturing empathy and creative expression. Additionally, a
sensory-friendly tent at the Open-Air Plaza offered a soothing space for
neurodivergent children and others, featuring tactile materials, soft seating,
noise-cancelling aids, and support from trained facilitators.