Jaipur Bytes

Navin Chawla and Mukulika Banerjee in conversation with John Elliott. India is the world’s largest democracy. It has faced daunting challenges, sustaining democratic institutions against all odds. Its vigorous political system remains credible and sound in its fundamentals with nearly 900 million citizens, young and old, exercising their constitutionally given freedom to choose in what remains a disciplined and peaceable process. A session that examines the results of the recent national elections as well as the strengths and fault lines in India’s democratic convictions with former Election Commission of India head Navin Chawla, writer and academic Mukulika Banerjee in conversation with journalist John Elliott. This episode is a live session from #ZEEJLFatBL2019.

Helena Kennedy, Avi Singh and Sunita Toor in conversation with Bee Rowlatt. Helena Kennedy QC’s ground-breaking book Eve Was Shamed offers an impassioned, personal critique of the British legal system. “The smell of the gentlemen’s club permeates every crevice of the Inns of Court,” writes Kennedy. A session which focuses on the treatment of women in the legal system with Kennedy, academic and women’s rights activist Sunita Toor and international lawyer Avi Singh in conversation with writer Bee Rowlatt. This episode is a live session from #ZEEJLFatBL2019.

Eric Ngalle Charles (poet, author, playwright) in conversation with Lakshya Datta (Founder of Launchora). Eric Ngalle was born in Cameroon. After nearly a decade seeking sanctuary as a refugee, he eventually reached south Wales, where he studied modern history and popular culture at Cardiff Metropolitan University. A fellow of the leadership network British-American Project, he currently sits on the board of directors for Literature Wales. Ngalle Charles is one of the Hay 30 - young writers who will help shape the world over the next three decades. This latest book is called "I, Eric Ngalle: One Man's Journey Crossing Continents from Africa to Europe". This episode is a podcast-exclusive.

Lucy Caldwell (award-winning novelist and playwright) in conversation with Lakshya Datta (founder of Launchora). Lucy Caldwell was born in Belfast in 1981. She studied English at Queen's College, Cambridge, and for an MA in Creative and Life Writing at Goldsmith's, University of London. She is the author of three novels: Where They Were Missed (2006); The Meeting Point (2011), set in Bahrain immediately prior to the Iraq War; and All the Beggars Riding (2013). Her first novel was shortlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize and the Waverton Good Read Award, and The Meeting Point won the Dylan Thomas Prize. Her debut collection of short stories, Multitudes, was published by Faber in 2016. She is also the editor of the recent Faber anthology Being Various: New Irish Short Stories. Also a successful playwright, her first stage play, Leaves (2007), premiered at Chapel Lane, Galway after which it was performed at the Royal Court. It was awarded the George Devine Award in 2006 and the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize in 2007. Lucy was a speaker at #JLFBelfast2019.

William Dalrymple transports us back to a bygone era of matchless splendour – the period of the last Mughal. This evocative session features readings by award-winning author and historian Dalrymple from his book The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty, Delhi, 1857 and the vocals of Vidya Shah celebrating the poignant and robust folk poetry of the time and ghazals of the Mughal court. This episode is a live session from #JLFBelfast2019.

Pico Iyer, Christina Lamb, Carlo Pizzati and Monisha Rajesh in conversation with William Dalrymple. This episode is a live session from #ZEEJLFatBL2019.

James Crabtree and Avi Singh in conversation with Mukulika Banerjee. This episode is a live session from #ZEEJLFatBL2019.

Chris Power, Namita Gokhale and Navtej Sarna in conversation with Paul McVeigh. This episode is a live session from #ZEEJLFatBL2019.

Navtej Sarna in conversation with Amrit Kaur Lohia. This episode is a live session from #ZEEJLFatBL2019.

David Levy, Irving Finkel and Michael Erdman in conversation with Pragya Tiwari. This episode is a live session from #ZEEJLFatBL2019.