Hyderabad Literary Festival 2026, a premier cultural event started in 2010 and running uninterrupted for 15 years, will unfold January 24-26 at Sattva Knowledge City with free entry and shuttle buses from Raidurg Metro Station. Among India’s top five of over 150 literary festivals, this city-organized, volunteer-driven extravaganza unites 15 streams featuring 300 speakers, boosting Hyderabad tourism. Tejah Balantrapu, Associate Director (LV Prasad Eye Institute), Usha Raman, Professor (HCU),Amita Desai, Executive Director (German Research Foundation), B. Kinnera Murthy(Director of HLF), Vijay Kumar(Director of HLF), and Jayesh RajanIAS, Principal Secretary Department of ITE&C, unveiled details at a press conference on Friday at the IAS Association Club here.
Press Conference Highlights
Dignitaries emphasized HLF’s “for the people, by the people” ethos, sustained by voluntary efforts despite modest government support of Rs 50 lakhs. Sponsors, including Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Indian Immunologicals, and Natco, fuel the multidisciplinary festival blending literature, science, climate talks, poetry, workshops, and Kashmiri-focused sessions as the Indian language in focus. Free access and public transport tie-ups underscore inclusivity, drawing over 100,000 visitors annually to sessions with Nobel laureates like Kailash Satyarthi and Abhijit Banerjee.
Festival Streams and Venues
Fifteen streams—ranging from Climate Conversations and Kaavya Dhaara poetry to Dreamcatchers for youth, exhibitions, and YoungistaanNukkad—span Sattva Knowledge City and District 150 in HITEC City. Highlights include cultural evenings with Aabha Hanjura, film screenings, and panels on biodiversity and urban science. Organizers stressed the event’s role in elevating Hyderabad’s global cultural profile through diverse, free programming.
Tourism and Legacy Impact
Positioned as a tourism booster, HLF integrates shuttle services from Raidurg, the nearest metro, promoting sustainable access amid its plastic-free, green initiatives. Since 2010, the festival has hosted 15 editions, converging national and international voices in a volunteer-led model that prioritizes community over commerce. Directors called for volunteer registrations at hydlitfest.org, urging Hyderabadis to partake in this literary milestone.
