What could be better than that your legacy getting passed to the heir, people of your ilk and the rest of humanity and to the world. The only literary festival on the name of an individual, Khushwant Singh Lit Fest celebrates human thought and the freedom to exhibit it. The 11th edition of the three-day Khushwant Singh Literary is dwelling on a lot of varied topics.
Khushwant Singh’s son and KSLF Director Rahul Singh gave a call for improving Indo-Pak relations so that the cultural ties between the two countries keep thriving.
One of Khushwant Singh’s key concerns was that India and Pakistan retain the warmth in their people-to-people relations. Khushwant Singh was born in Hadali, Khushab district, Punjab (now in Pakistan), in a Sikh family. He was the younger son of Sir Sobha Singh, who was a prominent builder in Lutyen’s Delhi who designed theConnaught Place. He was a lawyer in the Lahore High Court for a good eight years, he joined the Indian Administrative Service post independenvce in 1947.
A large number of Pakistani personalities could take part in the first few editions of the KSLF and had vibrant discussions on the matters that concerned both the nations. “The sessions would not only draw packed houses but would also have scintillating debates and discussions”, said Rahul making an appeal to both the government to relax visa rules for cultural and literary ambassadors of both the sides. There should be more flights and more personal contact between the people of the two countries.
The tone of the festival was set by celebrated author Amitav Ghosh who took up the theme of the festival, “The Climate of Change: Still Sprightly @ 75” and expressed his grave concern at the constant ravaging of Nature by humans.
In another session, the much-acclaimed writer Rajmohan Gandhi said that India needed another kind of greatness not just what is reflected through the Hindu majoritarianism. In conversation with Mahua Moitra, MP, he regretted how for centuries the Indian society suffered discrimination. Sharing his thoughts on the topic “Reflections on a 75-year Legacy” Rajmohan said the legacy of the country since Independence was onerous and challenging and it is time that we had more equitable and homogenous society.
 
