The Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) launched its inaugural Los Angeles edition, bringing together an international array of writers, historians, diplomats, and artists for a three-day cultural showcase. Held from September 14–16, 2026, at the historic former Herald Examiner Building (ASU California Center Broadway) in downtown Los Angeles, the event marked a major expansion for JLF USA, which now spans six American cities including Houston, New York, Colorado, Seattle, and North Carolina.
Opening Keynotes and Cultural Highlights:
The opening evening featured a keynote address by Dr. K. J. Srinivasa, Consul General of India in Los Angeles, alongside prominent figures such as Johnny Figel of the American India Foundation, Teamwork Arts producers Sanjoy Roy and Suraj Dhingra, Tim Disney, and Megha Kadakia.
Art and social impact also took center stage through a featured session titled “Framing Hope.” Photographer Vicky Roy, producer Mauktik Kulkarni, and social-impact leader V. R. Ferose discussed themes of resilience and memory, complemented by an exhibition of Roy’s photography. Roy’s remarkable life journey from living on the streets of Delhi to photographing the reconstruction of the World Trade Center serves as the inspiration for the forthcoming biographical film Street Dreams.
Geopolitics and International Affairs:
The festival’s second day pivoted toward global affairs, highlighted by a keynote address from author, politician, and former diplomat Shashi Tharoor on the shifting global order. Tharoor engaged in a deep-dive conversation with Kal Raustiala, director of the UCLA Ronald W. Burkle Center for International Relations, examining the evolving role of the U.S. in international politics and its strategic implications for India and other major powers.
Following the keynote, a panel discussion moderated by foreign policy columnist Seema Sirohi featured Harvard historian Caroline Elkins, former U.S. Ambassador Nina Hachigian, and acclaimed writer Viet Thanh Nguyen, exploring topics surrounding empire, historical memory, and American identity. The UCLA Burkle Center noted that this year’s program served as a preview for an expanded, weeklong international edition planned for JLF Los Angeles in 2027.
Musical Performances and Collaborations:
The multi-day event was enriched by diverse musical acts blending traditional and contemporary sounds. Performances included the Aditya Prakash Ensemble (featuring Aditya Prakash, Vishnu R., and Chris Votek) merging Karnatik vocals with the Navtar and cello; Hindustani vocalist Neha Jetley alongside Bappa B. Lahiri, who reimagined timeless classics like Aaj Jaane Ki Zid Na Karo and Ranjish Hi Sahi; and Las Colibrí (“The Hummingbirds”), bringing a vibrant Mexican American mariachi dimension to the stage.
Co-presented with Zócalo Public Square and the UCLA Burkle Center, and produced by Teamwork Arts, the Los Angeles debut successfully framed its central inquiry around a vital question: “What Is the New World Order?”
