Meet our Celebrated Speakers
Ameena Hussein
Ameena Hussein is a Sri Lankan author and co-founder of...
Read MoreAmit Varma
A distinguished writer and podcaster with over two decades of...
Read MoreAndrew Sean Greer
Andrew Sean Greer is the author of seven works of...
Read MoreAngeline Ondaatjie
Angeline Ondaatjie is the chairperson of Tangerine Beach Hotel, Royal...
Read MoreAnne Buist
Anne Buist is a researcher and practising psychiatrist specialising in...
Read MoreArati Kumar – Rao
Arati Kumar-Rao is an independent photographer, writer, and National Geographic...
Read MoreArtika Bakshi
Artika Aurora Bakshi is a writer and editor who moderates...
Read MoreAshok Ferrey
Ashok Ferrey is a bestselling Sri Lankan author with six...
Read MoreBhavani Fonseka
Bhavani Fonseka is a Senior Researcher and Attorney at Law...
Read MoreDiana R Chambers
Diana R Chambers has written four novels and several produced...
Read MoreDinara Punchihewa
Dinara Punchihewa is a film and theatre actress. She made...
Read MoreGraeme Simsion
Graeme Simsion is the author of The Rosie Project series,...
Read MoreJerry Pinto
Jerry Pinto is a poet, writer, editor and translator. His...
Read MoreJosephine Quinn
Josephine Quinn is a professor of Ancient History at Cambridge...
Read MoreJudith Perera
Judith Perera is an active oral history practitioner and has...
Read MoreKiran Desai
Kiran Desai is the author of two novels, Hullabaloo in...
Read MoreLal Medawattegedara
Lal Medawattegedara is the author of three novels: Playing Pillow...
Read MoreLiyanage Amarakeerthi
Liyanage Amarakeerthi is a fiction writer, a translator, a poet,...
Read MoreMalinda Seneviratne
Malinda Seneviratne is a freelance journalist, poet and translator. He...
Read MoreManu S Pillai
Manu S Pillai is an Indian writer and historian. Author...
Read MoreMax Czollek
Max Czollek is a writer, lyric-poet, stage performer, curator, and...
Read MoreMihiri Wikramanayake
Mihiri Wikramanayake is a travel writer and storyteller celebrated for...
Read MoreMolly Roden Winter
Molly Roden Winter is the author of the New York...
Read MoreMurtaza Jafferjee
Murtaza Jafferjee is the Chairman of the Advocata Institute.
Read MoreNaseeruddin Shah
Naseeruddin Shah is an actor with a distinguished cinematic and...
Read MoreNeil MacGregor
Neil MacGregor is a British cultural historian, broadcaster and writer....
Read MoreNimmi Harasgama
Nimmi Harasgama is an actor, writer, and activist with an...
Read MoreNisthar Cassim
Nisthar Cassim is the Founding Editor and Chief Executive of...
Read MorePramod Kumar KG
Pramod Kumar KG is the co-founder of Eka Archiving Services,...
Read MorePranay Lal
Pranay Lal is a natural history writer, a public health...
Read MoreRamya Jirasinghe
Ramya Jirasinghe writes poetry, plays, non-fiction, fiction and features. She...
Read MoreRatna Pathak Shah
Ratna Pathak Shah is an actress known for her performances...
Read MoreRazeen Sally
Razeen Sally is a Sri Lankan-British writer. He taught political...
Read MoreRehan Mudannayake
Rehan Mudannayake is an award-winning filmmaker and actor, based in...
Read MoreRehana Thowfeek
Rehana Thowfeek is the Co-Founder and Director of Civic Education...
Read MoreRuwanthie de Chickera
Ruwanthie de Chickera is a playwright, screenwriter, theatre director, actor...
Read MoreSasanka Perera
Sasanka Perera was Founding Professor of Sociology at South Asian...
Read MoreSavithri Rodrigo
Savithri Rodrigo is an award winning journalist with Presidential, Zonta...
Read MoreShamara Wettimuny
Dr. Shamara Wettimuny is the Junior Research Fellow in History...
Read MoreShanaka Amarasinghe
Shanaka Amarasinghe has been a print and broadcast journalist for...
Read MoreShawn Otto
Shawn Otto is the author of the award-winning nonfiction book...
Read MoreShrayana Bhattacharya
Shrayana Bhattacharya is the author of the bestselling Desperately Seeking...
Read MoreSophie Mackintosh
Sophie Mackintosh is a novelist and short story writer. Her...
Read MoreSujit Sivasundaram
Sujit Sivasundaram is an internationally-leading historian and writer. He is...
Read MoreSukanya Wignaraja
Sukanya Wignaraja is a psychotherapist and coach in private practice....
Read MoreSuli Breaks
Suli Breaks is a spoken word poet and writer known...
Read MoreSunela Jayewardene
Sunela Jayewardene is considered Sri Lanka’s leading environmental architect. Her...
Read MoreThe Art Studio
Shanaka Amarasinghe has been a print and broadcast journalist for...
Read MoreVihanga Perera
Vihanga Perera is a poet, novelist and a Professor of...
Read MoreVinod Malwatte
Vinod Malwatte is conservationist from Sri Lanka, and has worked...
Read MoreCurator
Mita Kapur
Mita Kapur is the founder and CEO of Siyahi, India’s leading literary consultancy. Her first book, The F-Word, is a food book, memoir and travelogue. She has edited Chillies and Porridge: Writing Food, an anthology of essays on food. As a freelance journalist, she writes regularly for different newspapers and magazines on social and development issues along with travel, food and lifestyle. She has received many awards, including the Femina Women Super Achiever Award (2018) at the World HRD Congress, the Maharani Gayatri Devi Award for Woman of Excellence (2014), and the Karamveer Puruskar (2009) for her work as a journalist in creating social awareness and for being the best literary consultant in the country. She curated Masala Chowk, a food court in street food in Jaipur in 2018, and was a member of the executive council for Jawahar Kala Kendra from November 2016 – October 2018. She is the producer for the Woman Up! Summit, and Soul Connect Experiences, and was also producer for Mountain Echoes – The Bhutan festival of Art, Literature and Culture (2010-2019). Mita is currently Literary Director for the JCB Prize for Literature, and Curator for the Ceylon Literary and Arts Festival.