There’s just so much to do and so much to see at the Sydney and Melbourne Writers festivals this year!
South Asian writers are increasingly making their mark on Australia’s literary scene. Their growing presence in festivals, awards, and publishing circles reflects a broader recognition of multicultural narratives in Australian literature.
Check out our list of desi writers and thinkers at this year’s leading literary events.
MELBOURNE WRITERS FESTIVAL
Manisha Anjali (9 May)
Poet, writer, entrepreneur and PhD scholar Manisha Anjali joins notable writers like Nam Le at the sixth iteration of the Thin Red Lines poetry event at the Wheeler Centre, for an evening of storytelling.
Osman Faruqi (9 May)
The former culture news editor of the SMH and The Age, and presenter of The Culture podcast, Faruqi is a great pick as a contributor to the Cancelling Culture panel discussion held at the Athenaeum theatre.
Rumaan Alam (8 – 10 May)
Alam has risen up the ranks in the publishing industry with his multiple best-sellers including Leave the World Behind which was later adapted into a Hollywood film of the same name. Join him on opening night to discuss the power of storytelling. He will also be holding a workshop on how to make writing a daily habit, presenting the Queer Stories panel discussion at the State Library of Victoria, and discussing his latest book, Entitlement at The Capitol.
Onjuli Datta (10 May)
Onjuli Datta is making strides in the queer fiction space. She’s the co-author of Feast Whilst You Can, a horror-romance centring around members of the LGTBQ community, and of The View Was Exhausting, a hilarious yet insightful dive into modern love.
A wonderful choice for the Horror, Hauntings and Monstrous Femmes panel discussion at the State Library of Victoria, discuss all things Gothic.
Sita Sargeant (10 – 11 May)
Sita Sergeant is a tour guide, a staunch feminist and an entrepreneur. She combines all these passions into her podcast She Shapes History, which is about how women have shaped the places we live, work and visit.
This year, she’ll be leading the Badass Women of Melbourne Walking Tour during which she will discuss the ways that women have influenced the city.
Catch her also at The Past is a Foreign Country panel discussion at the State Library of Victoria, where she will help explore the untold history of Australia.
SYDNEY WRITERS’ FESTIVAL
Shankari Chandran (22-23 May)
Chandran’s award winning novel Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens cemented her as a literary superstar in the Australian artistic scene. Fans of her work are in for a treat as she will appear in three separate events at the festival – discussing her latest novel Unfinished Business (a thrilling noir rooted in the aftermath of the Sri-Lankan Civil War); unpacking what effective crime writing looks like alongside notable investigative journalists, and delivering the distinguished PEN lecture at Carriageworks (an annual event complementary to the Sydney Writers’ Festival).
Rumaan Alam (22 – 23 May)
Sydneysiders who are fans of Rumaan Alam are in luck as he’ll make an appearance at three events at the Sydney Writers Festival. He’ll be discussing his latest novel Entitlement, then join three extraordinary novelists as they breakdown their creative process at the ‘State of the Art’ panel discussion, and will attend the ‘Queerstories’ event, which has become something of a fan favourite over the years. All events will take place at Carriageworks.
Neera Handa (23 May)
Handa is a regular at the Sydney Writers’ Festival and has appeared with the Auburn Poets & Writers for over a decade. As an avid contributor to the group’s anthologies, she’s come once again to the festival to celebrate the group’s 20th anniversary. The event, held at WestWords, takes a deep dive into contemporary political narratives and asks the big questions on law and morality.
Dinuka McKenzie (20-21 May)
As a self-proclaimed book addict, McKenzie is no stranger to the Writer’s festival and is an avid interviewer. Join her for her conversations with writer Hayley Scrivener who will discuss her latest novel Girl Falling at Bankstown Library, and with Christian White who will discuss his latest thriller release The Ledge, at Sutherland Library.
Anjali Sharma (24 May)
Sharma’s vision for Australia has been shaped through years of relentless activism. She’s now an avid advocate for the implementation of a duty of care owed by the government to protect young people from climate change.
She joins poets, authors and journalists to share her vision for change in the Dreams for the Future event at Sydney Town Hall.
The Growing Up Indian in Australia panel (24 May)
The stellar contributors of this dynamic, thought-provoking and deeply relatable book will appear at PHIVE in Parramatta to discuss their perspectives, insights and experiences of growing up Indian in Australia. Panellists include Aarti Betigeri (the editor of this anthology), Kavita Bedford (whose debut novel Friends and Dark Shapes got rave reviews), Nicholas Brown (of Play School fame), Hardeep Dhanoa (of SBS Voices, SBS Food and Kill Your Darlings), and Jeremy Fernandez (of ABC fame and one of the country’s most experienced television anchors).
Fernandez will also be participating in a special live recording of his Not Stupid podcast with his co-host Julia Baird at Riverside Theatre in Parramatta.
The Melbourne Writers Festival will run from May 8 – 11 and the Sydney Writers’ Festival will run from May 19 – 27 (Sydney and Melbourne Writers festivals)
READ MORE: Growing Up Indian In Australia: Review – Indian Link
