LITERARIA was born from a simple belief: great conversations can begin anywhere, and Ambala deserves to be one of the places where literature thrives. Founded by Dr. Sonika Sethi, the festival brings together celebrated authors, poets, scholars, and readers to share stories, exchange ideas, and inspire the next generation of writers. Through Voices of LITERARIA 2026, we hope to celebrate these remarkable voices while bringing Ambala one step closer to the global literary map.
This year, LITERARIA 2026 is proudly presented by WorldAuthors.Org. Dr. Gaurav Gulati, Founder of WorldAuthors.Org, says, “We are proud to support LITERARIA and its vision of bringing meaningful literary conversations to Ambala. Literature has the power to connect people, ideas and generations, and we believe platforms like LITERARIA can help give authors and readers a space to come together, share perspectives and celebrate the power of words.”
LITERARIA – Ambala LitFest 2026
Date: 10–11 October 2026 (Saturday & Sunday)
Time: 10:00 AM onwards
Venue: Sirhind Club, Ambala Cantt, Haryana, India
Heritage Venue: Estd. 1891
Dr. Madhav Kaushik is an eminent Hindi poet, author and literary scholar, and the President of the Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi. He has authored more than 52 books spanning poetry, ghazals, short stories, criticism, children’s literature, translation and edited works.
A distinguished literary ambassador of India, Dr. Kaushik has represented the country at major international literary forums in South Africa, the UAE, Mexico, Russia and Kazakhstan. He has received numerous national and international honours, including the Sahityavachaspati title, Lifetime Literary Achievement Award, Fakir Mohan Senapati Literary Award, D.Litt. (Honoris Causa), Russia’s prestigious Dostoevsky Star Award, and the SAARC Lifetime Achievement Literary Award.
He is a celebrated voice in contemporary Hindi literature and a prominent figure in India’s literary landscape.
Lady Kishwar Desai is an award-winning author, playwright and historian whose work spans literature, cinema and colonial history in India and the UK. Her debut novel, Witness the Night, won the Costa Award for Best First Novel. Her acclaimed book The Longest Kiss: The Life and Times of Devika Rani received the National Film Award for Best Book on Indian Cinema from the President of India. Her other works include Darlingji and Jallianwala Bagh, 1919: The Real Story.
She is the Founder and Chair of the Arts and Cultural Heritage Trust, which established the world’s first Partition Museum in Amritsar and a second museum in New Delhi. As a playwright, her works Manto! and Devika Rani, Goddess of the Silver Screen have received wide acclaim.
A former journalist, television anchor and producer, she also served as Vice President of Zee Telefilms.
Kasturika Mishra is a multilingual poet, reciting spoken and musical poetry for all major literary festivals of India, poetry societies and music connoisseurs.
She has two poetry collections to her credit. She is also an accomplished ghazal singer and dance critic for www.narthaki.com.
She also works at the Indian parliament as an Odia language interpreter and has worked for the United States Library of Congress and the US parliament as a cataloguing librarian.
Jupinderjit Singh, Deputy Editor at The Tribune, Chandigarh, is an investigative crime journalist. He has authored seven books, which have been translated into multiple languages.
His latest book is ‘Gangs of Punjab – Guns, Greed and Girlfriends’.
His previous book ‘Who Killed Moosewala’ is being adapted for a web series.
He also famously rediscovered the long-lost pistol of Shaheed Bhagat Singh – the very weapon used to assassinate a British officer in 1928 – after it vanished for decades.
He has reported for The Tribune from Punjab, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir.
Rajwanti Mann is a poet, author, historian and Senior Academic Fellow of ICHR, New Delhi. An expert in Archival Studies, she served as Deputy Director, Haryana State Archives, and has been a Member of the Grants Committee and IHRC at the National Archives of India.
She has authored/edited 20 books in English, Hindi, and Urdu, including Social Radicalism in Urdu Literature, Sardar Bhagat Singh: A Banned Biography, and works on Chandrashekhar Azad and freedom-movement history, besides four poetry collections. Her honours include the Sammelan Samman (2020), Shreshth Kriti Puraskar (2014), Tarzuma Nigar Award (2012), and Mahila Samman (2007, Haryana Government).
Jitendra Srivastava is an eminent Hindi poet, critic, and academic with 30 books to his credit, covering poetry, literary criticism, social thought, nationalism, and contemporary literary discourse. His notable works include In Dino Halchal, Anbhay Katha, Asunder Sunder, Bilkul Tumhari Tarah, Kayantaran, Suraj Ko Angutha, Kal Mrig Ki Perth Par, Bharatiya Samaj, Rashtravad aur Premchand, Sarjak Ka Swapn, Vichardhara, Naye Vimarsh aur Samkaleen Kavita, Upanyas Ki Paridhi, Rachana Ka Jeevdravya, and Kavita Ka Ghanatwa. His contribution to Hindi literature has earned him prestigious honours such as the Bharat Bhushan Aggarwal Puraskar, Devishankar Awasthee Samman, Ram Chandra Shukla Puraskar, Vijay Dev Narayan Sahi Puraskar, and Ram Vilas Sharma Alochana Puraskar.
He has delivered over 200 lectures in India and abroad and served on several literary award juries. He is presently Professor of Hindi and Registrar at IGNOU, New Delhi.
Navtej Sarna is a distinguished diplomat, author, and commentator who served as India’s Ambassador to the United States until December 2018. A member of the Indian Foreign Service since 1980, he has also served as India’s High Commissioner to the UK, Ambassador to Israel, and Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs. He holds the distinction of being India’s longest-serving Foreign Office spokesperson, a position he held for six years. During his diplomatic career, he served in Moscow, Poland, Bhutan, Iran, Washington, and Geneva.
An accomplished writer of fiction and non-fiction, Sarna’s acclaimed works include the novels The Exile, We Weren’t Lovers Like That, and Crimson Spring, the latter receiving the Sahitya Akademi Award for 2025. His other works include Winter Evenings, The Book of Nanak, A Flag to Live and Die For, and Indians at Herod’s Gate. He is also a prolific columnist and commentator on foreign policy and literature.
Dr. Arun K. Shukla is a distinguished behaviourist, psychological strategist, psychotherapist, academician, writer and mentor with nearly three decades of experience in cognitive and behavioural development, professional training and leadership mentoring. He has dedicated his career to nurturing young minds, defence aspirants and emerging leaders, helping them build resilience, confidence and a purposeful approach to life.
He is the Founder & Director of La Militaire Academy and Albatross Academy. He serves as Chairperson of the Board at Sardar Patel University of Police, Security and Criminal Justice, Jodhpur. His mentorship has helped over 1,200 students become officers in the Indian Armed Forces, while more than 17,000 students serve across various ranks in the defence forces.
A prolific writer, Dr Shukla has authored hundreds of articles and blogs and written more than five books. Through his teaching, writing, and mentorship, he continues to empower individuals to overcome challenges, realise their potential, and lead with wisdom, courage, and resilience.
Lokesh Gulyani is a Hindi author and storyteller who writes of lives that often pass unnoticed—their longings, silences, contradictions and fragile moments of love. Across 11 books, his work has explored fiction, poetry and the emotional landscape of contemporary life. His literary journey has been recognised with the Munshi Premchand Literary Award (2023), the Dr Asha Anand Literature Award (2024) and the Best Story Award at the Bhopal Literature Festival (2020). For Gulyani, writing is not merely about telling stories; it is about giving voice to what people feel deeply but rarely say aloud.
Milee Ashwarya is the Publisher and Group SVP, Adult Publishing Group at Penguin Random House India. An award-winning publisher, Milee is dedicated to championing diverse voices and discovering debut writers. She has the distinction of publishing three Booker Prize-winning books in three years: The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka, The Tomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree, translated by Daisy Rockwell and Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq, translated by Deepa Bhasthi. Milee has played a pivotal role in building and expanding the inclusive publishing program at Penguin Random House India, ensuring a broad representation of voices and stories.
Her authors include Orhan Pamuk, Salman Rushdie, Arundhati Roy, Jhumpa Lahiri, Sudha Murty, Devdutt Pattnaik, S. Hussain Zaidi, Rahman Abbas, Gurcharan Das, Harish Bhat, Bibek Debroy, Karan Johar among others.
Dr. Sushil Kansal is a former Associate Professor & Head, Dept. of English, S. D. College, Ambala Cantt & National Trainer, JCI India. Conducted over 1100 Training Sessions on Soft Skills and Life Skills, with specialisation in Public Speaking and Time Management. An avid reader with a special interest in short stories, drama and Hindi literature; stage compere and RTI activist. Have donated blood 72 times. Special interests: writing poetry, reciting poetry and cooking.
Seema Gupta is a distinguished literary personality, poet, compère, and social worker, proficient in Hindi, Punjabi, English, and Urdu. She holds postgraduate degrees in English and Political Science, along with B.Ed. and M.Ed. She has published three poetry collections – Neelpakhi, Chandi Ki Dibiya, and Prem Mein Hi Sambhav Hai Digambar—and contributed to two anthologies. Her forthcoming works include Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya…, Yaksha Prashna, and another poetry collection. Executive Editor of Abhaas magazine, she actively participates in literary and cultural events. She has anchored prestigious programmes, performed in films, conducted poetry recitals on Doordarshan and All India Radio, and received the SODEFA Award.
Mehak Varun is a poet and a writer whose words transform emotion into enduring verse. She is the author of five books-The Humane Quest (Volumes I, II & III), I Am Me, and The Silent Brave- exploring love, humanity, and self-discovery. Her literary journey has earned honours including the ‘100 Inspiring Authors of India’ Award and the ‘Women of Influence 2019’ Award. Her work has appeared in numerous anthologies. She has also completed a persuasive writing and public speaking course through Harvard, further enriching her distinctive voice and artistic expression.
Dr Sonika Sethi is an Associate Professor of English at S.D. College, Ambala Cantt, with 20 years of teaching experience. She is the Festival Director of Literaria, Ambala’s first literature festival, and Executive Editor of Rhyvers Beat. A prolific writer, columnist and blogger, she has contributed over 300 articles to Hindustan Times, The Tribune and other publications. She has authored, translated and edited 11 books across fiction, poetry, literary criticism and anthologies. Her works have received several prestigious honours, including awards from the Asian Literary Society and Meerut International Literature Festival. She conducts workshops and lectures on storytelling, creative writing, communication, soft skills and Intellectual Property Rights.
Dr Gaurav Gulati is a Personal Branding and Brand Engagement Consultant who has helped individuals and businesses build brands since 2006. He has worked with top management, CEOs, celebrities, professionals, and leading brands across industries. He is the Founder of Proficient Knowledge Group, the parent company of WorldAuthors.Org and Dogopo. An author of five books, his works include I’m a Brand, The Power of Brand Engagement, Layman’s Guide to Brand Awareness, and The Proficient Manager.
Gulati is a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt and Project Management Professional. He holds a PhD in Management, an MBA in Marketing, a PGD in International Management from the University of the West of England and a BBA.HM. He has also studied Brand Management at the University of London and Personal Branding at the University of Virginia.