The day opened with a soul-stirring Morning Music performance by Bhanwari Devi of the Bhopa community, whose folk rendition evoked Rajasthan’s timeless traditions and set a contemplative tone for the sessions ahead.
One of the morning’s highlights was Lightning Kid, where world chess champion Viswanathan Anand conversed with Rahul Bhattacharya about his storied career, the evolution of tactics in global chess, and the inspirations behind his book Lightning Kid. Anand reflected on his mother’s profound influence and shared candid anecdotes from his path, including the unglamorous realities of rigorous training, immense pressures, and occasional failures. He urged young players to cultivate passion beyond reward, stating, “You should have one thing you do, intentionally and passionately, that you do not get paid for.” The session blended humor, humility, and strategic insight, reminding attendees that true mastery stems from curiosity and perseverance.
Shifting to societal impact, The Philanthropy Paradox brought together Nobel laureate Esther Duflo, Siddharth Sharma, Vaibhav Budhraja, and Kanta Singh, moderated by Naushad Forbes. The panel dissected the purpose of philanthropy, celebrated success stories, and grappled with complexities in collaborations between governments, NGOs, and private trusts. Discussions highlighted the need for better coordination and amplified women’s contributions, which remain underrepresented despite their potential to drive meaningful change.
The spirit of exploration continued in The Travel Session, featuring Geoff Dyer, Lyse Doucet, Noa Avishag Schnall, and Pallavi Aiyar in conversation with Monisha Rajesh. Authors read from their recent works and debated the essence of travel writing—not merely as memoir, but as an immersion in environments, cultures, and personal transformations. Their perspectives underscored how journeys reveal broader truths about identity and the world.
British icon Stephen Fry captivated audiences in A Bit of Fry, a wide-ranging dialogue with Anish Gawande. Tracing his path from a challenging childhood to becoming one of Britain’s most cherished figures, Fry celebrated language as salvation. He delved into his love of anagrams, the influence of Oscar Wilde on his humor, the pleasures of verbal exuberance, and reflections on identity, creativity, shame, social media, and the timeless power of ideas and rituals. His trademark wit and intellectual depth made the session both entertaining and profoundly moving.
History reclaimed center stage in The Lost Heer: Women in Colonial Punjab, where Harleen Singh discussed his book with British journalist Anita Anand. Singh emphasized the scarcity of documented histories for Punjab’s women, often filtered through a colonial lens portraying them as martial figures while overlooking their femininity and everyday lives. “The history of common women is found in folklore; it’s found in recipes; it’s found in random pictures,” he noted, explaining his deliberate choice of the title—Heer symbolizing the quintessential Punjabi woman whose stories are scattered yet enduring.
A highlight for science enthusiasts was God Particle: The Story of Everything, featuring CERN scientist Archana Sharma and astrophysicist Geraint Lewis, in conversation with Marcus du Sautoy. The panel unraveled the universe’s fundamental mysteries, focusing on the Higgs boson—known as the “God particle”—which imparts mass to other elementary particles. Sharma emphasized, “Every discovery today is a catalyst for tomorrow,” while both scientists advocated using mathematics to benefit humanity, inspiring awe at the cosmos and science’s role in progress.
The day brought exciting announcements: JLF’s expansion with a new international edition in the Island of Ireland, scheduled for May 22–31, 2026, following successes in the USA, Valladolid, and London. The reveal featured a captivating fiddle performance by Ivan Rodrick, followed by remarks from Ambassador Kevin Kelly, Niamh Campbell, Michelle Galan, Sam McBride, Fintan O’Toole, Sonja Hyland, and Sanjoy K. Roy. Additionally, Teamwork Arts shared dates for the Sleepwell Presents The Sacred Amritsar Festival 2026 (February 20–22), promising a lineup including Padma Shri Kailash Kher and Kailasa, The Anirudh Varma Collective, The Kutle Khan Project, and Usha Uthup.
Art lovers gathered for Ojas Art: Ascending Roots, a conversation between Ravinder Reddy and Premjish Achari, introduced by Anubhav Nath. The session explored tradition, innovation, and cultural storytelling in contemporary Indian art. It culminated in the presentation of the 2026 Ojas Art Award to Pisadu Ram Mandavi, a visual artist from Chhattisgarh’s Muria tribe, by Sonya Rhie Mace. Mandavi will create live artworks throughout the festival, offering attendees an immersive experience.
Day 2 at the Jaipur Literature Festival 2026 exemplified its enduring appeal: a dynamic fusion of intellect, creativity, and cultural connection. From Anand’s strategic reflections to Fry’s linguistic fireworks, and from cosmic revelations to reclaimed histories, the sessions fostered dialogue that challenges, inspires, and unites. As the festival progresses, anticipation builds for Day 3, featuring Sudha Murty on The Magic of the Lost Earrings, Gaur Gopal Das on living fully, AI discussions in Human Edge, and explorations of free speech with Fara Dabhoiwala. In Jaipur’s historic embrace, ideas continue to flourish, proving once again why JLF remains the greatest literary show on Earth.