Articles by Chintan Girish Modi
Barnali Chattopadhyay: “When I sing Sufiana kalaam, I forget my gender”
The Hindustani classical exponent on singing the poetry of Amir Khusrau and singing playback for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi
Updated on May 05, 2025 03:32 PM IST
Abhay K: “Nalanda was an international melting pot where scholars flocked”
The diplomat and author, ‘Nalanda: How It Changed the World’, on the ancient monastery-university that nurtured scholars who contributed to Buddhist philosophy and Sanskrit grammar and transformed the social, economic, political, religious and cultural landscape of Asia
Published on May 02, 2025 10:56 PM IST
Essay: The library as a safe space
On World Book Day, a look at why good libraries are essential to spark the imagination of a child and strengthen their intellect
Published on Apr 23, 2025 02:45 PM IST
Yaroslav Trofimov: “I’m a Soviet melting pot”
Journalism honed my narrative skills for writing about Ukraine's history and conflict, blending fact with character depth in my novels.
Updated on Apr 19, 2025 06:40 AM IST
Kiran Bir Sethi: “Every child is born with extraordinary abilities”
The founder of Ahmedabad’s Riverside School spoke about her book, ‘Every Child Can’, at the Bhutan Innovation Forum
Published on Apr 14, 2025 05:12 PM IST
Report: Jaipur BookMark 2025
A range of stakeholders from the book trade including publishers, editors, booksellers, rights managers participated in the twelfth edition of JBM
Published on Apr 08, 2025 08:26 PM IST
Michael Hofmann: “Nothing is forever”
At the Kerala Literature Festival, the poet, critic and translator of the International Booker Prize winning novel, ‘Kairos’ by Jenny Erpenbeck, spoke about translating from German to English for the last four decades, his relationship with the authors he translates, and his views about the future
Updated on Apr 04, 2025 07:40 PM IST
Report: Jaigarh Heritage Festival
From musical performances to discussions between historians and authors, the festival held at the historic Jaigarh Fort had something for everyone
Published on Mar 27, 2025 02:53 PM IST
Deepa Bhasthi: “I am instinctive as a translator”
On translating Banu Mushtaq’s ‘Heart Lamp’, longlisted for the International Booker Prize 2025, from the original Kannada
Published on Mar 18, 2025 05:36 PM IST
Banu Mushtaq: “My feminism seeps into the language that I use
The lawyer and activist on Heart Lamp, her collection of stories, translated from the Kannada that has been longlisted for the International Booker Prize
Published on Mar 17, 2025 05:04 PM IST
Report: Ami Arts Festival
From photography to exhibitions of Hindustani classical instruments, the festival celebrated self-expression in various forms
Published on Mar 13, 2025 12:59 PM IST
Matthieu Ricard: “Reducing all of Buddhism to mindfulness is far too simplistic”
A Vajrayana Buddhist monk of French heritage and a PhD in genetics, Matthieu Ricard is the author of ‘Notebooks of a Wandering Monk’. Here, he talks about mindfulness
Published on Mar 03, 2025 10:53 PM IST
Report: Kerala Literature Festival 2025
Featuring Nobel Laureates Esther Duflo and Venki Ramakrishnan alongside Booker Prize winners like Jenny Erpenbeck, Michael Hofmann, Paul Lynch, and Georgi Gospodoniv, the Kerala Literature Festival 2025 clearly pulled out all the stops
Published on Feb 22, 2025 05:08 AM IST
Report: Mahindra Kabira Festival
The festival held in Varanasi from December 13 to 15, 2024, encouraged audiences to cultivate love, empathy and a sense of calm within their hearts
Updated on Feb 17, 2025 03:41 PM IST
Jenny Erpenbeck: “There is a place in the world for socialism”
The German author, who won the 2024 International Booker Prize for her novel Kairos, and was recently at the Kerala Literature Festival in Kozhkode, on socialism, bookbinding, and her father
Published on Feb 14, 2025 10:47 PM IST
Kal Penn: “Nobody should have to live in fear”
American actor and former White House staff member Kalpen Suresh Modi — better known as Kal Penn — spoke at the Jaipur Literature Festival.
Published on Feb 05, 2025 05:29 PM IST
Abed Elrazeg Abu Jazer: “Literature an essential part of our freedom movement”
The Chargé d’Affaires of the Palestine embassy spoke about reputed international cultural institutions being afraid of platforming Palestinian voices.
Updated on Feb 03, 2025 03:41 PM IST
Jasmine Shah – “AAP is the only party that has initiatives to tackle pollution”
At the Kerala Literature Festival in Kozhikode earlier month, the Aam Aadmi Party leader and author of ‘The Delhi Model’ spoke about prioritizing human capital
Published on Jan 31, 2025 05:30 AM IST
Elli Miller Maboungou: “Sometimes, drums speak for themselves”
The percussionist and composer on his Congolese and Jewish American heritage, and navigating the financial instability of an artistic career
Published on Jan 21, 2025 03:22 PM IST
Thao Lam – “There is an audience for all kinds of stories”
The Vietnamese-Canadian illustrator and author of children’s books spoke about her family’s refugee past, assimilating into Canadian culture, ants, and why there’s nothing wrong with being angry
Updated on Jan 17, 2025 10:15 PM IST
Report: Himalayan Echoes Festival
Thoughtful programming and warm hospitality marked the event that was held over two bracing November days at the Abbotsford Estate in Nainital
Updated on Jan 13, 2025 09:42 PM IST
Review: Gardens of Delhi by Swapna Liddle and Madhulika Liddle
Written in a lucid style, this beautiful volume provides historical, architectural and horticultural details of 14 of the capital’s most popular parks
Published on Jan 10, 2025 09:18 PM IST
Adam Gidwitz: “Most people just want a good protagonist”
At the Neev Literature Festival, 2024, the American author of children’s books spoke about his love for espionage novels, honouring his ancestors in his work, why he included an Indian character in his latest book, and holding the attention of young readers
Published on Jan 03, 2025 05:41 PM IST
Report: Dehradun Literature Festival (DDLF)
With ‘Sahitya, Cinema, Samaaj’ being the theme of the festival in its sixth edition, the event, which had sessions conducted in English, Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi covered everything from travel writing, feminism and cultural heritage to love legends, wildlife conservation, and India’s place in a shifting world order
Published on Jan 01, 2025 01:59 PM IST
Report: Jodhpur RIFF 2024
This year’s edition of the festival packed in performances by musicians from every continent on earth and showcased a dazzling variety of folk arts from across Rajasthan too
Published on Dec 26, 2024 05:29 PM IST
Dechen Wangdi: “It Is hard to talk publicly about LGBT rights in Bhutan”
The writer and journalist talks about the impact of travel, dialogues with policy makers, and why his country doesn’t have a Pride March
Updated on Dec 23, 2024 06:43 PM IST
Navtej Sarna: “Without a sense of history, we will all become rootless people”
The former diplomat spoke about how books on history written in India are making former colonisers reassess their own past and wrongdoings
Published on Dec 20, 2024 02:01 PM IST
HT reviewer Chintan Girish Modi picks his favourite read of 2024
A novel set in Kumaon that ushers the reader into a stillness that encourages forgiveness and a letting go of long held notions
Published on Dec 20, 2024 12:25 PM IST
Report: Prithvi Theatre Festival 2024
With dastangoi performances, plays based on poems and short stories and musical interludes, the 39th edition of the annual festival had much to offer
Published on Dec 12, 2024 04:52 PM IST
Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih: “I believe in literary ambidextrousness”
The winner of the 2024 Shakti Bhatt Prize, who writes poetry, drama and fiction in Khasi and English talks about his journey as a writer
Updated on Dec 10, 2024 08:06 PM IST