The ninth edition of the Kerala Literature Festival (KLF) will be held from Jan 22 to 25, 2026, at the Kozhikode beachfront, the city recognised as India’s first UNESCO City of Literature. Since its inception in 2016, KLF has grown into Asia’s largest and the world’s most attended literary conclave, attracting more than 650,000 visitors and over 600 speakers in its previous edition and becoming one of India’s most anticipated cultural gatherings, where literature, ideas, art, music, cinema, and performance come together in an open and inclusive space.
The 2026 edition is poised to be even more dynamic, featuring a broader range of voices and experiences that reflect the evolving landscape of global thought and creativity. Over four days, the festival will feature over 400 speakers and 250 sessions spread across seven parallel tracks, with ten sessions per track each day, 15 participating countries, followed by evening performances and musical events on Kozhikode beach. Each day, readers, writers, and artists will come together for discussions that seamlessly blend genres and disciplines, transforming Kozhikode into a city of ideas.
Building on this expansive format, KLF 2026 will host a remarkable gathering of Nobel Laureates, Booker Prize winners, historians, scientists, philosophers, activists, filmmakers, and artists, creating hundreds of sessions that explore both the familiar and the new. The conversations will span fiction and nonfiction, politics and history, folklore and contemporary culture, science, and philosophy, reflecting the festival’s core belief that the exchange of ideas is the most powerful form of creativity. Among the confirmed speakers are Nobel Laureates Abdulrazak Gurnah, Olga Tokarczuk, and Abhijit Banerjee, Olympian Ben Johnson, business leader Indra Nooyi, artist and illustrator Cheyenne Olivier, writer Gabriela Ybarra, economist Arvind Subramanian, linguist and author Peggy Mohan, author and columnist Shobhaa De, writer and former diplomat Amish Tripathi, actor and singer Piyush Mishra, curator Helen Molesworth, writer and activist Banu Mushtaq, along with writer and journalist Deepa Bhasthi.
Ravi Deecee, Chief Facilitator, Kerala Literature Festival, said, “KLF has evolved into a platform where literature and art coexist with science, cinema, and social thought. Every year, it becomes a meeting point for some of the most creative and courageous minds from around the world. The 2026 edition will continue this journey by deepening the exchange of ideas and celebrating cultural diversity. KLF has always stood for accessibility and openness. It allows conversations that connect people across languages, disciplines, and borders, reinforcing Kerala’s place on the global cultural map.”
Germany has been announced as the Guest Nation for KLF 2026, bringing with it a programme of diverse literary, artistic, and cultural expressions.
Dr. Michael Heinst, Director, Goethe Institut/ Max Mueller Bhavan Bangalore, said, “Germany shares a cultural relationship with Kerala, and we are excited to reaffirm this relationship through our programming for the Kerala Literature Festival. As the Guest Nation of KLF 2026, the German participation will feature a dedicated pavilion, a writing residency in Vagamon for German writers, as well as a creative writing workshop for young creatives writing in Malayalam. Together with our partners, the German consulate in Bangalore and the Goethe-Zentrum in Trivandrum, we will bring German authors and artists to the warm sands of Kozhikode beach.”
The collaboration reflects KLF’s continued evolution as a global cultural platform that welcomes diversity, builds connections, and celebrates the many ways in which ideas travel across borders. The country’s participation follows the success of France’s presence last year and adds another dimension to the festival’s growing international stature.
As anticipation builds for Kerala Literature Festival 2026, Kozhikode once again prepares to welcome voices, stories, and audiences from around the world. Over four days, the festival will transform the city into a living celebration of creativity and human connection.