ALIF Celebrating Stories That Inspire and Heal
Two-days event on October 24–25 will bring together literary figures, filmmakers, educators and international participants at The Ummed, Ahmedabad
AHMEDABAD, October 19, 2026: In a world where information is consumed in seconds and attention shifts rapidly between digital platforms, the Ahmedabad International Literature Festival (AILF) is preparing to renew interest in the lasting value of books, poetry and storytelling.
The festival’s 11th edition, scheduled for October 24 and 25 at The Ummed in Ahmedabad, will explore the relationship between literature, emotional well-being, cultural identity and creative expression. Organised by the Ikon Education Foundation, this year’s gathering carries the theme “Literature & the Echoes of Joy – Stories That Heal, Inspire and Redefine Joy.”
The two-day programme will bring together authors, poets, filmmakers, scholars, educators and cultural personalities for discussions and activities covering literature, cinema, regional-language writing and the influence of emerging technologies on reading habits. Book launches, workshops, masterclasses and cultural presentations will form part of the festival.
Exploring the Many Dimensions of Storytelling
AILF Founder-Director Umashanker Yadav said the festival selects a theme each year to reflect issues and ideas relevant to contemporary society.
“Every year, we celebrate the festival on the most relevant topic of that period. This year our theme is ‘Literature & the Echoes of Joy – Stories That Heal, Inspire and Redefine Joy,’” Yadav said.
The programme will examine how creative works influence human experiences, help communities preserve their cultural memories and encourage audiences to look at familiar subjects from different perspectives.
Cinema will also have a place alongside traditional literary forms. Yadav announced that his film Drop Out would be screened during the festival. He also said that five to six books were planned for publication as part of the event.
The combination of film screenings and literary conversations reflects the organisers’ broader approach to storytelling, recognising that books, poetry and cinema can offer different ways of exploring emotions, relationships and society.
Keeping Reading Relevant in the Digital Age
The growing influence of artificial intelligence and social-media platforms has created fresh challenges for those seeking to develop reading habits among students and younger audiences. This issue is expected to feature prominently in discussions at the festival.
Vision Raval, founder of Sahitya Manch and an AI expert, highlighted the need to make literature attractive to young people without compromising its depth.
“In the age of AI, and Instagram, AILF is attempting to make reading compelling for youth and students without diluting literary depth,” Raval said.
The discussion also brings attention to the position of Gujarati and other regional-language literature in a publishing and media environment where English and Hindi enjoy substantial visibility.
Digital platforms may offer new ways to introduce young readers to books and authors, but the challenge is to encourage deeper engagement beyond brief online interactions. Literary events can help create this connection by giving students direct access to writers, creative professionals and ideas that may not always feature in their regular academic experiences.
For teachers, parents, publishers and cultural organisations, the wider task is to help young people discover reading as a source of curiosity, imagination and understanding.
Writers and Filmmakers Share the Platform
The festival will feature participants from literature, cinema, education and the performing arts. Among those named by the organisers are Padma Shri awardee and Gujarati literary figure Dr Kumarpal Desai; Telugu writer P. Lalita Kumari, widely known as Volga; poet, lyricist and screenwriter Anil Chavda; filmmaker and theatre artist Abhishek Shah; screenwriter and director Sanjay Chhel; filmmaker Umesh Shukla; and educationist Dr Manjula Pooja Shroff.
Their participation is intended to encourage exchanges between established literary traditions and contemporary creative practices.
One of the scheduled sessions, titled “From Dream to Screen: The Making of Drop Out,” will examine the process of bringing the Hindi feature film to the screen. The programme lists Umashanker Yadav, Vivek Yadav and Sandeep Yadav among the participants in the discussion.
Alongside the film screening and planned book publications, the festival’s official website lists writing workshops, masterclasses, book launches, competitions, poetry, music, art presentations and cultural performances. A curated bookstore will provide another opportunity for visitors to explore literary works.
Bringing Gujarati and Regional Writing into Wider Focus
The festival’s emphasis on regional-language narratives is especially relevant in Gujarat, where Gujarati literature records the state’s social experiences, traditions, humour, aspirations and changing cultural landscape.
Regional writing can serve as both a record of community life and a means of communicating local experiences to readers elsewhere. However, its reach often depends on the availability of translations, wider distribution and opportunities for writers to interact with audiences beyond their immediate linguistic communities.
Events that bring authors from different languages and backgrounds together can help create these connections. They also encourage audiences to appreciate how stories rooted in particular places can raise questions and emotions that resonate across cultures.
AILF’s international participation adds another dimension to this exchange. According to the information provided by the organisers, its speaker roster includes cultural practitioners and scholars from countries including Vietnam, Madagascar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
Opportunities for Students and Emerging Creators
Founded in 2016 by Umashanker Yadav, the Ahmedabad International Literature Festival has sought to provide a common platform for discussions involving literature, cinema, governance and the arts. Its official website states that previous editions have featured more than 500 speakers across over 200 sessions.
For students, interactions with writers and filmmakers can provide insight into how ideas develop into books, films and other creative works. Aspiring authors may gain a better understanding of writing and publishing, while emerging filmmakers can learn about the creative decisions involved in making cinema.
Educators and parents can also engage with discussions about encouraging reading and developing imagination among young people. For publishers and literary organisations, the gathering offers a setting in which writers and new audiences can discover one another.
By bringing different generations and creative disciplines together, the festival aims to encourage dialogue between established professionals and emerging talent, as well as between regional experiences and international perspectives.
Finding Meaning Beyond Entertainment
The theme of joy extends beyond the idea of literature as a source of entertainment. A story can offer comfort during difficult times, reveal an unfamiliar point of view or help readers understand feelings they have struggled to describe.
Literature can also challenge assumptions and encourage people to consider experiences different from their own. Its significance, therefore, lies not only in the pleasure of reading but also in the understanding and reflection that stories can generate.
As technology continues to reshape the ways people create and consume content, the festival provides an opportunity to revisit the role of books and the arts in everyday life.
The impact of the gathering may ultimately be reflected in the choices visitors make afterwards—whether they begin reading a new author, explore literature in another language, take an interest in filmmaking or reconsider an idea through someone else’s story.
With its 11th edition approaching, AILF aims to make Ahmedabad a meeting point for literary conversation, cultural exchange and creative discovery over two days.
FESTIVAL AT A GLANCE
- Event: 11th Ahmedabad International Literature Festival (AILF 2026)
- Dates: October 24–25, 2026
- Venue: The Ummed, Ahmedabad
- Theme: Literature & the Echoes of Joy – Stories That Heal, Inspire and Redefine Joy
- Organiser: Ikon Education Foundation
- Key attractions: Literary discussions, film screening, book launches, poetry, workshops, masterclasses and cultural performances
- Official website: https://ailf.co.in/
