Jaipur Literary Festival USA concluded its Seattle edition and made its Los Angeles debut in September, bringing writers, historians, diplomats, artists and cultural voices together for conversations on literature, history, culture and ideas.
JLF Seattle 2026 was held from Sept. 17 to 20, bringing together authors, academics, thinkers and professionals for discussions spanning literature, history, geopolitics, mythology, identity and the changing world.
The Seattle program featured speakers including Yann Martel, Scott Anderson, Caroline Elkins, Sonora Jha, Lakshmi Puri, Devesh Kapur and photographer Vicky Roy, alongside writers and academics from different disciplines. Among the highlights was veteran war correspondent and author Scott Anderson in conversation with Aria Fani about his book “King of Kings: The Iranian Revolution.” The discussion examined the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the fall of the Shah and the revolution’s continuing impact nearly five decades later.
READ: JLF Los Angeles examines the New World Order (August 13, 2026)
Yann Martel was in conversation with writer Kristen Millares Young about “Son of Nobody: A Novel in Footnotes.” Their discussion explored Martel’s retelling of the Trojan War and his approach to combining classical mythology with a contemporary narrative.
History and empire were also central to Caroline Elkins’ conversation with Sam Dalrymple about “Legacy of Violence: A History of the British Empire.” Elkins examined British imperial rule and the systems of violence associated with the empire, as well as their continuing relevance to debates about its legacy.
Photography and personal experience featured in “Where the Streets Have No Name,” with Vicky Roy in conversation with Sanjoy K. Roy.
READ: Author Chandrani Ghosh spotlights Heartlines at inaugural Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) New York Author Spotlight Series (July 20, 2026)
Roy, who spent part of his childhood living on the streets of Delhi, went on to become an acclaimed photographer and was among four photographers from around the world selected to document the reconstruction of the World Trade Center following the September 11, 2001, attacks. Twenty-five years after the attacks, the conversation revisited Roy’s first international exhibition, titled “WTC: Now,” and explored the challenges of documenting violence, trauma and history through photography.
The Seattle edition followed JLF USA’s inaugural Los Angeles program, held from Sept.14 to 16. The Los Angeles edition brought together writers, artists, historians, diplomats, filmmakers and cultural figures for conversations covering literature, culture, geopolitics, history, technology, film, social impact and the arts.
The program unfolded across venues including the ASU California Center Broadway in downtown Los Angeles, the former Herald Examiner Building at 1111 S. Broadway, Creative Visions Malibu and 2413 Hyperion. The opening evening featured Consul General of India in Los Angeles Dr. K. J. Srinivasa as keynote speaker, alongside Johnny Figel of the American India Foundation, Sanjoy K. Roy and Suraj Dhingra of Teamwork Arts, Tim Disney of 2413 Hyperion and Megha Kadakia.
Vicky Roy also featured in “Framing Hope,” a conversation with producer Mauktik Kulkarni and social-impact leader V. R. Ferose, held alongside an exhibition of his photography. The discussion explored Roy’s journey from the streets of Delhi to documenting the reconstruction of the World Trade Center, with a focus on resilience, aspiration and hope. His life story is also the basis for “Street Dreams,” a forthcoming film.
International affairs were another major theme in Los Angeles. Shashi Tharoor was in conversation with Kal Raustiala, director of the UCLA Ronald W. Burkle Center for International Relations, discussing the changing world order and the evolving positions of the United States, India and other global powers.
The subject was further explored in “What Is the New World Order?” moderated by foreign policy columnist Seema Sirohi and featuring Harvard historian Caroline Elkins, former U.S. Ambassador Nina Hachigian and writer Viet Thanh Nguyen. The discussion examined empire, historical memory, American identity and shifting global power.
The Los Angeles program also featured filmmaker and producer Ashok Amritraj in conversation with Sanjoy K. Roy in “Master Storyteller: The Legend & The Future,” examining Amritraj’s career and the evolution of storytelling and cinema.
READ: JLF brings global literary dialogue to Los Angeles (June 6, 2026)
Music and performance added another dimension to the festival. The Aditya Prakash Ensemble, featuring Aditya Prakash, Vishnu R. and Chris Votek, combined Carnatic vocals, nine-string Navtar and cello in an improvised performance. Hindustani vocalist Neha Jetley, accompanied by Bappa B. Lahiri, presented contemporary interpretations of four well-known songs, while Las Colibrí brought mariachi and Mexican-American musical influences to the program.
The two September editions are part of the broader 2026 JLF USA program, which spans six U.S. cities: North Carolina, Los Angeles, Seattle, Colorado, New York and Houston. The Jaipur Literature Festival will return to Jaipur from January 14 to 18, 2027, for its 20th anniversary edition.