Connection Without Chaos: The Laid-back Lit Fest Debuts Online

New Delhi, India – February 13, 2026 – In a world craving connection without the chaos, the Laid-back Lit Fest launches as India’s first fully virtual literary festival designed for the modern reader. Happening four times a year (March, June, September and December) this groundbreaking event invites book lovers, writers, and storytellers to unwind with world renowned authors, intimate conversations, and interactive sessions – all from the comfort of their home.

Streaming at 5 PM every Sunday, the Laid-back Lit Fest brings together authors, poets, and other creative professionals for intimate online sessions designed for depth, humour, and real talk about books and the creative life. All a participant will need is data and a device.

“We built the Laid-back Lit Fest to make serious conversations about writing and ideas feel easy, accessible, and unhurried,” says Chetan Mahajan, author and Co-founder of the Himalayan Writing Retreat. “The goal is to give people all the wisdom and learning of a great lit fest without the overwhelm. So we’re planning one focused, engaging session at a time.”

Sample sessions of the 1st edition of the Laid-Back Lit Fest (LLF)

• Panel: The Ghost in the Book – The Realities of Ghostwriting: A candid panel on ghostwriting that unpacks questions of credit, ethics, confidentiality, creative ownership, and collaboration between visible authors and invisible writers. The discussion will examine how ghostwriting is perceived by readers, and what it offers working writers. This panel includes Binati Sheth, Namrata and Narayani Basu.
• Session on Film, Culture and Self-Censorship (Dibakar Banerjee & Shubhra Gupta): A freewheeling conversation with writer-director Dibakar Banerjee (Khosla ka Ghosla, Oye Lucky – Lucky Oye, LSD etc.) and film critic and author Shubhra Gupta on how film and culture shape each other, the subtle ways artists self-censor, and what it means to tell bold stories in a sensitive age. The session will explore real-world examples of creative risk-taking, pushback, and navigating the space between integrity and pragmatism.​
• Rana Dasgupta: On ‘After Nations’ and Literary Borders: Prize-winning author Rana Dasgupta joins Chetan Mahajan for a conversation on his latest book After Nations, exploring how borders, identities, and politics shape our world and our stories. Rana is the founding Literary Director of the now defunct JCB prize and the session will also look at the literary award ecosystem and, what it means to win multiple honours across genres.​

Other speakers include: Deepa Bhasthi, Purnima Tammireddy, Rahul Pandita, Ruchir Joshi, Santanu Bhattacharya, Santosh Desai and Vandana Vasudevan. Enjoy thoughtfully curated sessions every Sunday evening. You can also access a virtual bookstore to discover and order signed copies of books by featured speakers.

Why The Laid-back Lit Fest Stands Out

• One session at a time – No clashing tracks, no FOMO, just full attention and richer engagement.​
• Zero travel stress – No hotels, parking, or city traffic; the entire festival lives on your screen.​
• Planet-friendly – An online-first design that cuts the carbon footprint associated with large physical events.​
• Truly accessible – Join from anywhere in the world, on any device. For working professionals, students, and slow-living enthusiasts alike.​

Registration and the full program at www.laidbacklitfest.com.

About the Laid-back Lit Fest

The Laid-back Lit Fest is an initiative of The Himalayan Writing Retreat, a much-loved destination and community for writers, poets, and readers founded in 2016 in the Indian Himalayas. Built around the idea that creativity thrives in relaxed, respectful spaces, the festival extends the retreat’s ethos into the digital world—allowing anyone, anywhere, to access thoughtful literary conversations without leaving home.

Media Contact:
Debdatta Dasgupta
Email: deb@himalayanwritingretreat.com
Phone: +91-8582863444
Website: www.laidbacklitfest.com