The third edition of the Kathmandu Kalinga Literary Festival (KLF) will be held from September 7 to 8 in Hotel Himalaya, Lalitpur. The organisers said this year’s festival, with the theme ‘Nepal—The Gateways to Asian Art, Culture, and Literature,’ will feature over 300 South Asian writers.

The festival has 60 sessions spanning two days. Key sessions include discussions on themes such as ‘Wisdom and Insight’, ‘Echoes of a Bold Voice’, and ‘The Art of Storytelling in Film.’

Badri Prasad Pandey, the tourism and culture minister, will kick off the event on the first day. Other guests include writer Abhi Subedi, novelist Lakshmi Murdshwar Puri, economist and writer Sanjeev Sanyal, and Shri Prasanna Shrivastava from the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu. On the second day, the Chief Guest will be Rob Fenn, the British ambassador to Nepal.

Festival Director Ranjana Niraula says, “This year’s festival will celebrate the deep cultural ties between Nepal and South Asia, highlighting Nepal's significant role in global literary and cultural movements.”

The Kathmandu Kalinga Literary Festival is organised in collaboration with Yashaswi Pragya Pratisthan and the Kalinga Literary Festival, with support from Surya Nepal Gatha and Life Insurance Corporation (Nepal) Limited (LIC Nepal) as the presenting sponsor.