Alliance School of Liberal Arts puts Bengaluru on the Lit World Map

The Asia Pacific Literary Festival (APLF), 2022 hosted by Alliance University's School of Liberal Arts, in association with Asia Pacific Writers & Translators Inc (APWT), came to a grand finale on Nov 30, 2022. It was a three-day extravaganza that took place on the University's Central Campus from November 28-30, 2022.

It featured an exciting line-up of authors, performers from around the world, along with cultural events, that showcased the best of the creative and intellectual forces of the region. The event was inaugurated by noted mythologist and author, Devdutt Pattanaik, who delivered a keynote on "Is there an Indian approach to Management?" in the presence of Alliance University Pro-Chancellor, Abhay G. Chebbi and Vice-Chancellor, Anubha Singh.

The festival, over three days had talks and keynotes by authors, journalists and activists including Victor Mallet, Irom Sharmila, Tom Doig and Rochelle Almeida as well as panels by APWT chairs Sally Breen and Helder Beja.

The closing keynote on the final day of the festival was conducted with International Booker Prize winner, Geetanjali Shree on her award-winning Hindi novel, Ret Samadhi (trans. Tomb of Sand). The festival came to an end with performances by actor Danish Sait and Carnatic rock band AGAM.

The theme for the festival was 'Writing outside the frame' that brought together an exhilarating confluence of styles and mediums of literature that evade convention. The panel themes ranged from speculative and hybrid fiction, writing and activism, creative writing, women's writing, heritage and myth, the power of short stories, and writing for the young.

The University campus was transformed into a landscape of light and colour during the event with art installations, bookshelves, culinary carts, and handicraft. On all three days, the audiences were enthralled by cultural and musical sessions like Yakshagana, Experimental Movement, Film screenings, Battle of the Bands, Dance Wars, and Unplugged Music sessions.