The Shillong Literary Festival will return for its sixth edition from November 12 to 14 at Ward’s Lake, with a new programme aimed at identifying and encouraging emerging writers from the Northeast.
Supported by the Meghalaya Tourism Department, the three-day event will feature writers, artists, thinkers and readers through literary discussions, storytelling sessions, performances and other cultural programmes.
The new initiative, ‘First Bloom: Discovering New Writing from the Northeast’, will focus on emerging fiction and narrative non-fiction writers from the region. It carries a total prize of Rs 75,000, with the winner receiving Rs 50,000 and the runner-up Rs 25,000.
As part of the festival build-up, two workshops on careers in literature will be held at the State Convention Centre in Shillong on October 26.
Literary agent Kanishka Gupta will lead the first session from 10.30 am to noon, while writers Mitra Phukan and Lalnunsanga Ralte will conduct the second workshop from 3 pm to 5 pm. Each session will have 100 seats, with participation available through first-come, first-served registration.
The 2026 edition follows a pre-festival programme held earlier this year at Bikaner House in New Delhi, where actor Naseeruddin Shah, 2026 Pulitzer Prize winner Suparna Sharma and journalist Shekhar Gupta were among the participants.
At Ward’s Lake, the festival will combine the storytelling traditions of the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo communities with contemporary Indian and international literary voices. Sessions will examine literature and culture alongside their links with broader social issues.
Earlier editions of the festival have featured authors including Banu Mushtaq, Vikram Seth, Shobhaa De, Shehan Karunatilaka and Francesc Miralles.
The previous edition attracted more than 13,000 visitors. This year’s programme will also feature cultural and culinary activities, with musicians associated with the Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Grassroots Music Programme performing each evening and food stalls serving local cuisine.
The festival is also being positioned as part of Meghalaya’s wider cultural tourism and creative economy efforts, creating a platform for writers, performers, artists, local businesses and audiences.
