In conversation with Rahul Singh: The ideas shaping Khushwant Singh LitFest 2026 

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The three-day literary gathering will bring writers, filmmakers, journalists and public thinkers together to explore dialogue, dissent and the power of differing perspectives. 

The pine-scented hills of Kasauli are set to become a meeting ground for ideas, debate and reflection as the 15th edition of the Khushwant Singh Literary Festival returns to the historic Kasauli Club from October 23 to 25, 2026. Centred on the theme “The Art of Disagreement — Conversations Across Divides”, this year’s festival seeks to explore how meaningful conversations can bridge differences in an increasingly polarised world.

Held in memory of the celebrated writer, journalist and raconteur Khushwant Singh, the festival has grown into a platform where literature intersects with politics, cinema, culture and contemporary social concerns. Its 2026 edition promises to bring together voices from diverse fields, encouraging participants and audiences to question assumptions, challenge established narratives and engage with perspectives beyond their own.

Talking to The North News, Rahul Singh, director of the festival said, “at a time when people hold different opinions on several issues and disagreements are becoming increasingly common, KSLF will provide a platform for meaningful conversations and exchange of ideas. This is much required in today’s times especially considering whatever is happening in the country, with the Cockroach Janta Party coming in and the curbing of dissenting voices with force by the government. In a democracy everyone has the right to protest peacefully and a healthy dialogue is the solution.There should be no use of any kind of force to curb the protesting voices, and I am not just talking about this present government, even the Congress when it was in power, has done the same to curb on the warring factions.” 

This time around the highlights of the literary festival will be a separate session on children’s literature and workshops focussed on the budding writers and authors on how to get their books published.  There will be sessions on the extensive use of Artificial intelligence and ChatGPT in the field of writing and journalism as well.

Among the names reported in connection with this year’s gathering are filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, engineer and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk, former Army chief Manoj Mukund Naravane and Punjabi singer-poet Satinder Sartaaj. Actors and writers Divya Dutta and Sandhya Mridul, journalist Vishnu Som and author Jerry Pinto are also among the reported participants.

Beyond books and literary conversations, the festival’s broader concerns include political polarisation, generational divides, artificial intelligence, misinformation, gender and identity, environmental challenges and the future of democracy. Discussions around India–Pakistan relations and the role of dialogue in navigating differences are also expected to contribute to the programme.

At a time when public discourse is often shaped by entrenched positions and instant reactions, the festival’s central idea feels particularly relevant. Disagreement, after all, need not be a contest to establish who is right; it can also be an opportunity to listen, reconsider and understand.

Against the quiet landscape of Kasauli, the Khushwant Singh Literary Festival 2026 hopes to reaffirm a simple but enduring idea: that a society’s intellectual vitality lies not in the absence of disagreement, but in its ability to make room for it.