Khushwant Singh Literary Festival Makes Oxford Debut, Echoes Message of ‘Humanity Across Borders’
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, June 4, 2025
The Khushwant Singh Literary Festival (KSLF) marked a significant milestone this year with its debut edition in Oxford, United Kingdom—a notable leap from its original home in the hills of Kasauli. Now in its seventh international edition, the festival carried forward its legacy of fostering dialogue, promoting peace, and celebrating literature, culture, and ecology.
Organised in collaboration with Oxford University and the Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development, this year’s edition was held under the theme ‘Humanity Across Borders’, staying true to the values championed by the iconic author and public intellectual Khushwant Singh. The festival focused on themes close to his heart—heritage preservation, environmental awareness, Indo-Pak relations, and the richness of South Asian poetry.
The opening session featured acclaimed Indian novelist and literary agent Keshava Guha, who discussed his second novel The Tiger’s Share in conversation with Somerville College alumna and novelist Francesca Kay. The book offers a compelling portrayal of contemporary Delhi, delving into ecological crises and familial tensions with unflinching insight.
A highlight of the event was a conversation between celebrated science writer Matt Ridley and noted epidemiologist Dr. Sunetra Gupta. Ridley presented his latest work Birds, Sex and Beauty—an engaging exploration of modern evolutionary theory. The dialogue also touched on personal histories, with Ridley reflecting on the connection between his grandfather, architect Edwin Lutyens, and Khushwant Singh’s father, Sir Sobha Singh. The session concluded with a spirited exchange on the lab-leak theory of COVID-19’s origins, with Ridley advocating for the theory and Gupta offering a counterpoint.
The Oxford edition of KSLF also celebrated the deep historical connection between Somerville College and India, spotlighting figures like Princesses Catherine and Bamba Duleep Singh—daughters of Maharaja Duleep Singh and early Indian students at Somerville who later emerged as notable suffragettes. The college also counts former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi among its distinguished alumni.
By bringing Khushwant Singh’s enduring ideals to one of the world’s oldest academic institutions, KSLF continues to build intellectual and cultural bridges in a world in need of dialogue and understanding.