Literary meet in Kolkata draws to a grand close

On January 26th, the final day of the 13th Coal India Kolkata Literary Meet brought together a diverse mix of authors, thinkers, and artists across multiple sessions. Nobel laureate Esther Duflo, attending for the first time, spoke on Poor Economics for Kids and climate change. Discussions were held at Bengal Club and Horticultural Gardens, covering themes ranging from history and politics to literature and cinema.
At Bengal Club, Dan Morrison, Georgina Godwin, and Rajdeep Sardesai explored elections and democracy in Voting Ink, while Saurabh Kirpal discussed equality. A session featuring Jayanta Sengupta, Tasneem Mehta, Kunal Basu, and William Dalrymple examined how history writing, museums, podcasts, and OTT platforms contribute to shaping narratives of the past.
At the Horticultural Gardens, a session on Manik Bandopadhyay’s Putul Nacher Iti Katha, adapted for the screen by Suman Mukhopadhyay, featured the film’s cast, including Abir Chatterjee, Dhritiman Chatterjee, and