The pen must be wielded with honour’

Gen Naravane launches ‘Forever Young KSLF’ at 15th Khushwant Singh Literary Festival in Kasauli

Kasauli, Oct 24,

“Write fearlessly, but write responsibly. The pen, like the sword, must be wielded with honour.” Former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane (Retd) set the tone for the 15th Khushwant Singh Literary Festival (KSLF) 2026 with this message to aspiring writers as the three-day event opened at the historic Kasauli Club on Friday.

According to a press note issued by the festival organisers, Gen Naravane launched ‘Forever Young KSLF’, an initiative aimed at encouraging young and emerging writers. Drawing parallels between military service and writing, he stressed the importance of discipline and consistency.

“A soldier writes his diary every day, a writer must write every day,” he said, urging young authors to address serious issues without personal malice. “Disagree on issues, but don’t disrespect the person,” he added, echoing the festival’s theme, ‘The Art of Disagreement: Conversations Across Divides’.

The festival opened with Sarbpreet Singh’s session, ‘A Melodious Preface: Khwabgah: The House of Dreams – From Longing to Annihilation’. Festival director Rahul Singh, son of the late Khushwant Singh, remembered his father as a disciplined, humorous and fearless writer who wrote daily for nearly seven decades. Veteran journalist and author Bachi Karkaria also recalled her long association with him.

The day’s discussions covered gender rights, politics, history, food, faith and mental health. Lawyer and author Mihira Sood, in conversation with journalist Anna M. Vetticad, discussed the limitations of legal reforms in achieving gender equality.

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Journalist and author Sanjoy Hazarika examined Mizoram’s transition from insurgency to democracy, including the 1986 Mizo Peace Accord, in a conversation with editor Preeti Gill. Chef and author Rahul Akerkar reflected on his journey into the culinary world and his autobiography, Biting More Than I Can Chew.

Science writer Upasana Sarraju explored curiosity and unconventional thinking, while authors Roopinder Singh and Kamla Kapur discussed faith, sewa and langar. Psychologist-author Nishtha Lamba and journalist-author Narayani Ganesh examined anger, trauma and emotional well-being.

An interactive workshop by Alexander Kopelman encouraged students from Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and neighbouring areas to embrace individuality and make independent choices. In another session, Veena Naravane and Bahar Dutt discussed grief and emotional healing, emphasising the need to allow bereaved children to express their feelings.

The opening day reflected the festival’s emphasis on thoughtful dialogue, diverse perspectives and the freedom to question without abandoning mutual respect.

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