New Delhi, May 11 (Inditop.com) The tiny kingdom of Bhutan will host its first literary festival, focusing on writing from and about the Himalayan region, in the capital Thimphu this month with writers like Chetan Bhagat, Gulzar and Patrick French attending.
The festival, from May 17-20, will be hosted by the India-Bhutan Foundation in association with Siyahi, a non-profit organisation.
The event will provide a platform for authors to engage in a cultural dialogue and celebrate tales of a shared landscape in the Himalayan region. The festival will be supported by the queen mother of Bhutan, Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk, and her foundation, Tarayana.
She is the author of “Treasures of the Thunder Dragon: A Portrait of Bhutan”, which provides unique and intimate insights into Bhutanese culture and society. Wangchuk will deliver the keynote address at the festival.
The speakers at the festival will include Bulbul Sharma, Chetan Bhagat, Boman Irani, Gulzar, Pavan Varma, Patrick French and at least 20 other leading writers from India and Bhutan.
The India-Bhutan Foundation was established in August 2003 by the Bhutanese and Indian government with the objective of enhancing exchange and interaction among the people of both countries through activities in educational, cultural, scientific and technical spheres.
