Book Brahma Literature Festival in Bengaluru Focuses on Politics, AI and Literature

BENGALURU — The second day of the three-day Book Brahma Literature Festival 2026 in Bengaluru expanded beyond books and literary discussions to host widespread conversations on politics, governance, artificial intelligence, employment, and social change.

Speaking during a session titled ‘People Before Politics: Is India Ready for a New Political Culture?’, Melukote MLA Darshan Puttannaiah said that politics should serve as a means to improve people’s lives rather than a route to acquiring power. He urged young people to look at politics as an instrument of social change and called for greater attention to be paid to the concerns of ordinary citizens, farmers, and workers.

Political analyst and writer Rasheed Kidwai participated in a session discussing Karnataka’s political equations and the rise of Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. Reflecting on themes from his book, ‘DK Shivakumar: Congress’s Crisis Manager, Karnataka’s Kingmaker’, Kidwai remarked that documenting the lives and decisions of political leaders objectively is essential to help citizens better understand their political representatives.

The impact of artificial intelligence on future employment also emerged as a key subject during the festival's second day. Chaudhary Group Chairman Binod Chaudhary told attendees that rapid advances in artificial intelligence will demand continuous adaptation, learning, and innovation.

Chaudhary emphasized the need for India to actively strengthen skills across its workforce, particularly in the areas of critical thinking and AI awareness. He stated that rather than completely replacing human workers, artificial intelligence is more likely to enhance the capabilities of individuals who are able to use the technology effectively.

Alongside the panel discussions, the festival saw the launch of several new books and the presentation of literary honors. The ‘Book Brahma–Bookworm English Fiction of the Year 2026’ award was conferred on Janani Kannan for her English translation of author Perumal Murugan’s book ‘Fire Bird’.

Cultural performances added to the literary appeal of the event, including a sitar jugalbandi performance by Ustad Rafiq Khan and Ustad Shafique Khan, along with other cultural programmes scheduled across the day.