25-Feb-2026

When I received an invitation from Rahul Jain, the curator & chief coordinator, it left me thinking. Because the letter informed that

“The festival will be a celebration of literature and dialogue among writers, poets, and literary enthusiasts from all over the world. Engaging under a single roof with their creations and ideations alongside nearly 12,000 students and literary enthusiasts will be over 120 speakers, writers and poets from more than 25 countries in 50-odd sessions." 

The first question that came to my mind was, 'Do I fit into this at all?’ But the curiosity in me urged me on, and I accepted the invitation. On February 17th, I realised that sometimes listening to the inner voice is not all that bad. The festival pampered, enlightened, and connected me to the author fraternity of different countries, including India, as well as my folks from the Northeast region.

Since the Foundation for Culture Art & Literature (FOCAL), the associated partner of Dibrugarh University in hosting the festival was flexible on arrival dates - One can come in early or just be in time for respective sessions, I chose the former, and it proved to be a decision well made. It enabled me to sit through three powerful sessions – The Middle East and North Africa within and without, where Talmiz Ahmad, as the chair, bisected the contemporary issues of the region with Sharif Bakr, Kingsuk Chatterjee, Abdelaziz Errachidi, Sherif Bkr, and Leila Al Mutawa; The conversation of Bibhash Chowdhury with three Korean Writers, Kyung-Shook Shin, Jeong You-Jeong, and Sung Il Kim, who dwelled deep into Korean writing and literature; and Justice (Retired) Subhasi’s incisive conversation with Aruna Chakravarty on Rabindranath Tagore’s writings and philosophy.

Jarna Gogoi, my ever-cheerful guide, anchored me all through the three days I was there. She walked me to the author’s lounge, the Indira Miri Hall, for my first session, and to the CMS 2 conference hall for the second. With details on her fingertip, she even guided me with the timings of the festival buses to and from the various hotels and also to the account section for completing formalities as desired by the organisers.

Me and my Guide

My First Session:

I had the privilege of sharing a session with two distinguished personalities: AVM Arjun Subramaniam, an Indian Air Force veteran and author of several books on strategic issues, besides having held key assignments, and Tashi Chophel, a bureaucrat, author, and poet rolled into one, someone who deeply understood the social, economic, and geopolitical importance of the region.

With the Chair, and fellow Panellists

The Chair, Jayanto Narayan Choudhury, who is well-versed with the issues in the region and its compulsions, guided us into discussing specific areas of concern related to India's sensitive Siliguri corridor, also known as the "Chicken Neck", which connects the rest of India with the northeastern region. I cannot thank him more because he offered me the opportunity to explain my book on the Armed Forces Special (Powers) Act in the context of the regional security. Likewise, he threw pointed questions to my two co-panellists, whose responses were succinct, revealing, and enlightening. It was a cherished indulgence. According to the comments of some knowledgeable people in the audience, as panellists, we were able to shed light on certain areas that were not commonly known to the general public. So, for us, what can be more satisfying than these gracious remarks?

My Second Session:

On the third day, I had the absolute pleasure of sharing a session with Shubnum Khan and Rohinton Babaycon, with Krishnan Srinivasan as the chair. Krishnan is a former diplomat, a seasoned analyst on international politics, and a novelist; Shubnum is a South African author with Indian-origin parentage, while Rohinton is a veteran in the tea industry who spent four decades in the region and had gone through the pain of his colleague falling prey to the violence the region grappled with. The Chair walked all three of us into our memory lanes, based on what he read in our books. He was gracious in allowing us to revisit those stories and experiences, a few of which were nostalgic, heart-wrenching, and chilling. The rapt attention the audience accorded us was reason to believe that they shared every bit of our sentiment. 

My fellow-panellists in the second session

In my spare time, I also sat through a few sessions, like Unquiet Flow the Rivers, Short and Sweet Wins the Race, and Red Means Stop. They were equivalent to reading volumes of books. I wish I could sit in more such sessions. 

Equally enriching and informative were the casual conversations during breakfasts and dinners. Apart from meeting new friends, these informal chats gave me the opportunity to listen to unique stories from various countries, regions, states, and genres

At the Breakfast Table at the Sarovar

I will always remember the story of Yuliya Musakovska from war-ravaged Ukraine. Apart from her stories about how the country and its people live in an atmosphere of uncertainty—not sure about when the next bomb will explode or what the extent of the devastation will be—her story of having made it to DUILF 2026 itself deserves a salute. She said, since the war makes it impossible for civilian flights to take off from her city, she undertook an eight-hour bus journey to Krakow and then took a flight from Krakow-Warsaw-Mumbai-Kolkata-Dibrugarh. What an indomitable human spirit!!! In front of her I felt ashamed that I complained of no direct flight from Goa to Dibrugarh.

With Yuliya Musakovska from Ukraine  

The dinners were not just good food and ambience but also full of fun and good music. The food, drink, music, and dance often overshadowed the occasional off-track journeys and late-night inconveniences.

Can't thank the photographer more

My blog would be incomplete without acknowledging the unique and humble Dhruba Hazarika. He gravitates anyone to his side so effortlessly. Rahul Jain, with his staunch commitment to his responsibilities, is also a remarkable individual. The duo formed a deadly combination. They invited us, pampered us, enlightened us, and connect us to the world and to India. 

Regarding the arrangements, 'meticulous' would be an understatement.

Please click here for a selection of images.