JAIPUR, 19 January 2025: The four-day Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) 2026 drew to a close today with a charged closing debate, “Freedom of Speech is a Dangerous Idea”, featuring Ian Hislop, Pavan Varma, Alice Oswald, Anish Gawande, Navtej Sarna, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Navdeep Suri and Fara Dabhiowala, moderated by senior journalist Vir Sanghvi.
The session probed whether freedom of speech, long cherished as a democratic ideal, becomes perilous in unequal political and social contexts. Sanghvi opened by noting that the motion was artfully framed, arguing that the real question was not whether free speech is dangerous, but for whom it is dangerous.
Speaking for the motion, Fara Dabhiowala argued that free speech is inseparable from power and is often weaponised by those who dominate public discourse, further endangering already marginalised voices. Ian Hislop acknowledged these risks while recalling the historical struggles to secure free expression, pointing to the rising numbers of journalists jailed or killed worldwide and the irony that near-absolute freedom often appears reserved for the powerful.
Opposing the motion, Pavan Varma recast the debate as a test of moral courage, warning that dissent is increasingly criminalised even as free speech is applied unevenly. The debate laid bare the persistent tension between expression and power in contemporary democracies.
— William Dalrymple (@DalrympleWill) January 19, 2026
Elsewhere at the Festival, British poet Alice Oswald entranced an early-morning audience in A Journey Through Words and Worlds, while visual storytelling and pop culture took the spotlight in Celebrating Manga and Graphic Novels. Myth and memory animated The Legend of Kumarikandam, with Anand Neelakantan and Mridula Ramesh exploring lost civilisations and the enduring pull of legend.
In Legenda: The Real Women Behind the Myths, historian and broadcaster Janina Ramirez, in conversation with journalist Narayani Basu, examined how women’s lives have been erased, reshaped and appropriated over centuries. Contemporary life and generational conflict were unpacked in Gen Z, the Millennials and Mummyji, featuring Anurag Minus Verma, Santosh Desai and Ria Chopra with Chirag Thakkar.
Award-winning author Rachel Clarke discussed The Story of a Heart with Ambarish Satwik, tracing the extraordinary journey of a heart transplant between two nine-year-old children. Produced by Teamwork Arts, the Festival’s 19th edition reaffirmed its role as a vital platform for dialogue, debate and the exchange of ideas across disciplines, borders and generations.
About Teamworks – www.teamworkarts.com
