Mysuru: The Literary Fests are the happening events today in many big cities’ calendar. It all began with the Jaipur Literature Festival started in 2006 with just 30 writers, is the biggest festival today. The other festivals that followed include the Kolkata Literature Festival, Hyderabad Literary Festival, Tata Literature Live, Ooty Literary Festival and Bangalore Literature Festival.

However, many bibliophiles in our own city that has never been short of writers, authors and poets — and the list includes the likes of Kuvempu, Triveni, Ha.Ma Nayak, Dejagow, R.K. Narayan, U.R. Ananthamurthy, Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa, Devanuru Mahadeva, Dr. C.P. Krishnakumar — were always wondering when it would have its own Literary Festival.

The day has arrived. The 154-member strong Mysore Literary Association (MLA) started by a group of enthusiastic teachers in English, led by the President and former Vice-Chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi Central University Prof. K.C. Belliappa and Secretary Reginald Wesley with the able support of Prof. B.N. Balajee is organising the first Mysuru Literary Fest-2017 on June 18 at Senate Bhavan in Manasagangothri.

Renowned novelist and Saraswati Samman awardee Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa will inaugurate the festival. Reputed English novelist Shashi Deshpande, famous historian Dr. Ramachandra Guha, well-known critic and Professor of English Dr. Harish Trivedi, novelist Kaveri Nambisan will participate in the Fest.

There will also be a session on ‘Role of Media Today’ in which the panellists include Star of Mysore Editor-in-Chief K.B. Ganapathy, author C.P. Belliappa and Adman from Chennai R.V. Rajan. Dr. H.S. Shivanna will moderate the session.

There will be a music concert by Mysore Nagaraj and Dr. Mysore Manjunath with accompanying artistes. Star of Mysore is the media partner and Travel Parkz, the travel partner for the Fest.

For details, non-members can contact Mob: 9632619900 or 8197249270 or email: [email protected].