AHMEDABAD, October 19: The 11th edition of the Ahmedabad International Literature Festival (AILF) will be held on October 24 and 25, 2026, at The Ummed, Ahmedabad, bringing together authors, poets, filmmakers, educators and cultural practitioners from India and abroad for two days of conversations on literature, cinema and the many ways stories shape human experience.
Organised around the theme “Literature & the Echoes of Joy – Stories That Heal, Inspire and Redefine Joy,” the festival will explore the role of stories in connecting people, preserving cultural identities and responding to changing social and creative landscapes.
Announcing the programme, Umashanker Yadav, Founder-Director of AILF, said the 11th edition would feature speakers from seven countries—Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Russia, Vietnam, Iraq and Mali—alongside Indian writers and professionals with international experience. The festival will bring together voices from literature, cinema, education, media and the wider cultural sphere.
The festival’s distinguished participants include Padma Shri awardee Kumarpal Desai, V. S. Gadhvi, IAS (Retd.), Manoj Aggarwal, IAS (Retd.), filmmaker and screenwriter Sanjay Chhel, filmmaker Umesh Shukla, filmmaker Abhishek Shah, Telugu writer P. Lalita Kumari, popularly known as Volga, Dr. Manjula Pooja Shroff, literary scholar Dr. Sharifa Vijaliwala and poet Anil Chavda, among others.
The two-day programme will feature discussions on the relationship between reading, writing and cinema; the role of books in shaping life experiences; the importance of storytelling for younger generations; regional literature and cinema; and the relationship between passion and professional pursuits. Sessions on Hindi literature, poetry and global literary perspectives will bring together participants from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
Cinema will be a significant part of this year’s programme. A session titled From Dream to Screen: The Making of Drop Out will examine the making of the Hindi film, bringing together Umashanker Yadav, Vivek Yadav and Sandeep Yadav. Other film-focused conversations will explore the craft of filmmaking, the journey from the first draft to the final cut, and the relationship between stories, screens and emerging technologies.
The programme will also look beyond conventional literary discussions to examine tourism and cultural experience, creativity, global literature and the changing media landscape in the age of artificial intelligence. Book launches and book stalls will add to the festival experience, offering readers opportunities to discover books and engage with literary works.
Founded in 2016 by Umashanker Yadav and his team, the Ahmedabad International Literature Festival is an initiative of the Ikon Education Foundation. Over the years, it has developed into a platform for writers, poets, filmmakers, scholars and readers to exchange ideas and engage with literature and the arts.
The 11th edition aims to continue this tradition through conversations that bring together established and emerging voices, encouraging dialogue across languages, disciplines and cultures. With its focus on the healing, inspiring and connecting power of stories, AILF 2026 seeks to celebrate literature not only as an art form but also as an enduring part of everyday life.
Festival Details
Event: 11th Ahmedabad International Literature Festival (AILF 2026)
Theme: Literature & the Echoes of Joy – Stories That Heal, Inspire and Redefine Joy
Dates: October 24–25, 2026
Venue: The Ummed, Ahmedabad
