Celebrating Bangaliaana — Apeejay Bangla Sahitya Utsob marks 11 Years of Literary Brilliance
From authors to artists, poets to performers — three days of Bangla Sahitya, Culture, and Creativity at Oxford Bookstore from 7 to 9 November
Kolkata, 4 November 2025: The 11th edition of India’s premier Bengali literary festival, Apeejay Bangla Sahitya Utsob (ABSU), curated by Oxford Bookstores, is set to take place from 7 to 9 November at the iconic century-old Oxford Bookstore, Park Street, a cherished cultural landmark that has long been the cradle of literary thought and conversation.
This three-day literary celebration promises to bring together luminaries from the world of Bengali literature, art and culture to explore the soul of Bangaliaana.
Announcing the Utsob, Swagat Sengupta, Festival Director and CEO of Oxford Bookstores, said, “As the Apeejay Bangla Sahitya Utsob steps into its 11th edition after completing a decade, we are humbled to witness how a long-cherished vision has grown into a much-loved celebration of Bangla literature and culture. This journey has been made possible by the unswerving support of literary luminaries, authors, publishers, partners and most importantly by our patrons and audience who continue to inspire us every year. This year’s edition thoughtfully weaves together diverse themes, including centenary tributes to iconic Bengali stalwarts, explorations of cinema, publishing, education and poetry. To make the festival more accessible, we will also be sharing all recorded sessions on our YouTube channel after the event, ensuring that the spirit of Bangla literature reaches global audiences.”
Conceptualized in 2015, ABSU has evolved into a vibrant platform that embraces the past, present and future of Bangla literature through thought provoking dialogues, poetry readings, performances and debates. The 2025 edition will feature a diverse and dynamic line-up of speakers- celebrated authors, poets, filmmakers, actors, journalists, researchers, academicians, musicians and cultural icons, alongside emerging voices redefining the contours of contemporary Bangla writing.
Eminent Speakers and Partners of ABSU 2025
This year’s Utsob will welcome an illustrious line-up of speakers and cultural figures, including Anindya Chatterjee, Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, Anjan Dutt, Aparajita Dasgupta, Aveek Majumder, Bratya Basu, Jayanta Narayan Chatterjee, Mir Afsar Ali, Nrisingha Prasad Bhaduri, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Samik Bandyopadhyay, Sanjoy Mukhopadhyay, Shankar Chakraborty, Sharmila Maiti, Shiladitya Sen, Shyamali Acharya, Srijato, Subarna Basu, Sudhangshu Sekhar Dey and Yashodhara Ray Chaudhuri among others who continue to shape the intellectual and creative landscape of Bengal.
Adding to the literary celebration, Cha Bar joins as the Refreshment Partner, bringing the aroma of freshly brewed conversations to life. Shabdabaaji, Surojit-O-Bondhura Kobita Club and Human & Emotion Learning are the Session Partners at ABSU 2025, supporting the festival’s objective to bridge creativity, community and culture.
About Apeejay Bangla Sahitya Utsob (ABSU): ApeejayBangla Sahitya Utsob (ABSU), India’s first Bangla Literary Festival (i.e. Utsob in Bangla) created by the century old Oxford Bookstores in 2015, honours the rich literary tradition of the Bangla language. The objective of ABSU, a prized initiative of Oxford Bookstores, is to make Bangla literature increasingly visible and accessible, build an audience for Bangla books and create a culture of readership and familiarization with Bangla language among the youth. An interactive platform bringing together voices of contemporary Bangla Literature from the national and international stage, ABSU showcases all aspects of Bangla literature and literary expression and their impact on various art forms. ABSU is committed to the journey of Bengali Literature which is both exciting and exhilarating and have hosted eminent personalities over the years to grace the festival. They include renowned authors like Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay, Nabaneeta Dev Sen, Pabitra Sarkar, Samaresh Majumdar, Sankha Ghosh, Pracheta Gupta, Ranjan Bandhopadhyay, Sanjib Chattopadhaya, Saikat Mukhopadhyay, Anjan Dutt, Anindo Chattopadhay, Nrisingha Prasad Bhaduri, Srijato, Binod Ghoshal, Himadrikishore Dasgupta, Anish Deb, Krishnendu Mukherjee and Subodh Sarkar; film Directors like Suman Mukhopadhyay, Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury and Arindam Sil; Bengali musicians Nachiketa, Surojit Chatterjee, Swagatalakshmi Dasgupta, Rupam Islam; Actors Sabyasachi Chakraborty, Barun Chandra, Parambrata Chatterjee, Chandan Sen, Kheyali Dastidar and Sohini Sengupta. The festival has also attracted prominent literary personalities from Bangladesh like Selina Hossain, Imdadul Haq Milan and Sadat Hossain.
About Oxford Bookstore: Established in 1919, Oxford Bookstore is one of the oldest heritage bookstores in the nation. It is India’s only bookstore to curate multiple literary festivals like Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival, Apeejay Bangla Sahitya Utsob, and Hindi Sahitya Utsav. The Oxford Bookstore not only offers book lovers access to the very best books and ambience but also India’s first-of-its-kind tea boutique, Cha Bar. At Oxford Bookstores, success is measured by the smiles on millions of happy readers that the brand has served over the last 100 years. Each time you walk into our iconic store in Kolkata, its old-world charm leaves you enchanted and desiring for more. Our fleet of ‘happy to help’ knowledgeable booksellers and conversant hosts work round the clock to bring to our vendees world-class reading experience. Be it through our books or our fine teas we abide by the brand’s motto – Much more than a bookstore – at every Bookstore. To know more about Oxford Bookstore, log on to www.oxfordbookstore.com
