The sixth edition of the Bangalore Literature Fest took place in Hotel Lalit Ashok in Bengaluru on October 28 and 29. It featured speakers across fields including Perumal Murugan, Ramachandra Guha, Baradwaj Rangan, Ammu Joseph, Anil Kumble, Girish Karnad, Indira Lankesh, Kanhaiya Kumar, Manu Joseph, NS Madhavan and others.

The first day began with remembering the slain journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh. Poems written by writers and activists across the country in honour of Gauri Lankesh in the aftermath of her murder, apart from excerpts of her own writings, including editorials, were read out.

Historian Ramachandra Guha came down heavily on the usual definition of patriotism days before celebrating Karnataka’s 62nd formation day on November 1 stating that love for one’s state is not different from that of nations’. Instead one comprises of the other. He also went back to the origin of Hindutva by calling it a ‘not indigenous’.

While noted Tamil writer Perumal Murugan recounted his relationship with caste in the context of his latest work, One Part Woman, Ace Indian legspinner, Anil Kumble, cricket journalists Sharda Ugra and Gideon Haigh, and journalist Rajdeep Sardesai sat down amidst a packed crowd to discuss how 2007 T20 World Cup changed Indian Cricket.

And finally, the lit fest came to an end with an annual Atta Galatta- BLF Book Prize 2017 by honouring Anees Salim for the Best Fiction (English) prize for his recent novel Small Town Sea, while senior author Ruskin Bond was awarded the Best Non-Fiction (English) for his memoirs Lone Fox Dancing. Meanwhile, author Twinkle Khanna was adjudged for the Popular Choice (English) award for her short story collection The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad.