CLS Literati 2015 to host Literary Stars

After successfully hosting two mega literary festivals, the 3rd edition of CLS Literati 2015, opens on 6th November amidst sylvan surroundings of Chandigarh Lake Club with the keynote address by renowned journalist and author, M.J. Akbar.

CLS Literati shall see almost 60 noted authors who would be exploring diverse aspects of contemporary Indian literature in English, Hindi, Panjabi, and Urdu informed Festival Director Sumita Misra, chairperson of Chandigarh Literary Society (CLS), at a press conference here today.

She said that the Sufism is the theme of Literati this year as part of , which is represented in the cultural programmes too.

CLS co-founder Vivek Atray, secretary Madhav Kaushik, author coordinator Suparna-Saraswati Puri, CJ Singh, addressed the media along with Simran Grewal, Harleen, Saguna Jain, Hardeep Chandpuri, Dr Puneet Kapoor, who unveiled the logo and poster of CLS Literati 2015 on the occasion.

Madhav Kaushik added that Literati is celebration of creativity and we want the city to participate and immerse itself in the literary and crative activities completely. The Literati has become the melting pot of literary and creative minds inciting interests amongst the younger generation to read and even try their hands on writing, added Vivek Atray.

In the three days back-to-back sessions with several running concurrently, all genres of writing and variegated facets of art, and how these are reflecting and impacting on our social fabric would form the backdrop of Literati, Sumita Misra informed. Another noted Indian columnist, political reporter and writer, Tavleen Singh would deliver the valedictory address on 8th November at the concluding session of Literati.

Lonely Planet brings a special session for travel enthusiasts on “Wanderlust: The Stuff of Fantasy” with Hugh & Colleen Ganzer and Amrita Chatterjee sharing their travel writings.

Highly acclaimed Indian film director and screen writer Sudhir Mishra would explore the journey of Indian cinema with Gul Panag in the session on “Lights, Camera, Action: Surprises and Serendipity”

Bollywood’s famous lyricists, Kausar Munir and Munna Dhiman would explore the dimensions of lyrics in the session “Phoolon ke Rang Se, Dil Ki Kalam se”.

Amongst others, the best-selling authors Ravi Subramanian and Ravinder Singh would be in talk with Vinita Dawra Nangia, on the second day’s afternoon session with another CLS partners for Literati, Write India.

Gul Panag, behaviorial scientist Chandra Shekhar Verma, editor of First Post Sandip Roy and Vivek Atray would engage on the virtual world in the session on “Virtually Yours”

The books on “Sikhs: The Untold Agony of 1984”  by Nilanjan Mukhopadhya, and “Kashmir: The Loss of Innocence” by Kiran Kohli Narain, shall be other highlights of Literati.

Several celebrated Hindi poets would share dais with Ashok Vajpeyi, Nayantara Sahgal, Tishani Doshi, and Sumita Mishra, while Nighat Gandhi, Dhritabrata B.Tato, Sohaila Kapur, and Neena Wagh would explore “Tasawwuf: Call of the Soul”.

On the second day the writings for children shall take the centre stage with the session “No Child’s Play” with some of the acclaimed writers of children literature Payal Dhar, Himanjali Sankar, Devika Rangachari and Jane DeSouza participating.

The social impact of literature and art would also have three brainstorming sessions.  Readings: Experiments and Experiences shall have Ashoke Mitra, Rishi Vohra, Chander Shekhar Verma while another session on third day would see Renana Jhabvala, Leila Seth and Anupam Srivastava discussing “From Self to Society”, while environmental journalist Bahar Dutt, sufi writer Dhritabrata B. Tato, social political critic Kiran Nagarkar would discuss “Environment and Gender in Danger” in session moderated by journalist and author Nandita Puri.

A major highlight of Literati is Sohaila Kapur premiering her latest play, Sohbat, which she has directed and choreographed, on 7th November evening at the Chandigarh Lake Club itself, while on 6th evening, sufi magic would be unveiled by Gurnazar Chattha, a popular young star, at the Chandigarh Golf Club.

The entry to the festival is free and Chandigarh Literary Society has planned several other activities on the side including slam poetry in which youngsters would be showcasing interactive poetry, on-the-spot painting and writing competitions, sketches and calligraphy, live music by school and college students would provide engaging environment for the visitors.

"Anything to Look Hot" by Dr Jas Kohli released

(L-R) Mr Vivek Atray, co-founder Chandigarh Literary Society, author
of two best-selling novels and Deputy Commissioner Panchkula, releasing
Dr. Jas Kohli's (centre) debut medical fiction "Anything to Look Hot"
alongwith the session moderator and author Suditi Jindal. 

Mr Vivek Atray, Deputy Commissioner Panchkula and co-founder Chandigarh Literary Society (CLS) released the book “Anything to Look Hot” by plastic surgeon Dr. Jas Kohli, here today.

Complimenting Dr Jas Kohli for finding time for his creative pursuits, Vivek Atray said that literary activities in the region on the increase and many of the youngsters, working professionals and housewives are expressing themselves beautifully and sharing it with the world, which is an encouraging trend.

In a writers' life, however, Mr Atray said, that first phase of writing is all about total involvement and daydreaming when you are in the process of writing, and second challenging phase is to find the right publisher, and the last phase is even more tough when one has to market and promote the book to the readers.

He announced that the third edition of CLS Literati shall see over 50 authors from around the country from 6-8 November at the Lake Club.

In a session moderated by another author and life coach, Suditi Jindal, Dr Jas Kohli shared his journey and the four years that he spent in working on his first novel, and commended Srishti Publishing for accepting his work and encouragement.

Dr Kohli also said that he was indebted to Chandigarh Literary Society where in the last year’s Literati he happened to meet many established authors, especially Jerry Pinto, who guided him through the process.

“I have already been playing with the idea of sharing the travails and tribulations of a medical professional; I have lived it all through the protagonist of this novel, a plastic surgeon Dr. Dhruv, whose life’s journey surpasses even a masala movie for humour, drama and action” Dr Kohli shared.

Dr Jas Kohli has used this book to debunk many a myths about cosmetic surgeries, the dangers of falling into the traps of glitzy ads without confirming the credentials, and the book, he feels, will enthrall those who can do Anything to Look Hot.

Dr. Kohli read out excerpts from his book how the cosmetic surgeon Dr Dhruv finds himself surrounded by celebrities and movie stars in Mumbai, to tweak their looks.  “When the superstar diva of the past decade doesn’t want to play the hero’s mother on screen, she insists that she be reshaped into the most beautiful woman in the world…by any means.”

Suditi Jindal quizzed Dr Kohli on his protagonist's

The hero finds satisfying the movie stars a different ball game, because every girl wishes to have bee-stung lips, and every guy wants to flaunt a six-pack abdomen without working too hard.

Many of his colleagues from PGI were present amongst the invited audience including his teacher Dr P.S. Chari, former head of plastic surgery in PGI, senior plastic surgeon Dr. VD Singh amongst others.

Dr Jas Kohli is a senior plastic surgeon, in active practice. He received MCh degree in Plastic Surgery from Delhi University in 1998. Starting as a precocious writer, he penned poems and short stories for school and college magazines. Admission in MBBS turned him into a diehard academician, and he all but forgot that there was a fiction writer lurking beneath the load of medical books. He has published a number of scientific papers in his medical career, including two internationally acclaimed ones in the British Journal of Plastic Surgery and also written educational articles in the local newspapers on plastic surgery.

Dr Jas is a member of APSI (Association of Plastic Surgeons of India) and received the APSI best paper presentation award in 1997. After becoming a plastic surgeon, he worked at various centers in India and abroad and came in contact with all shades of characters, from sane to inane. He realized, that to be a successful plastic surgeon, apart from surgical finesse, one also requires a sense of artistry, psychology, fashion and of course, women!

Confessing to be a confused conglomeration of cells, he juggles his time between writing, plastic surgery, astronomy, bird watching and his family comprising his wife and two kids.