Asian Literary Society Celebrates the Healing Power of Literature at 8th ALS LITFEST 2026
The Asian Literary Society (ALS) successfully organized its 8th ALS LITFEST 2026 at DELNET, Nelson Mandela Road, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi on Saturday, 18th April 2026. The event brought together renowned writers, poets, scholars, and literature lovers for a memorable celebration of creativity and the therapeutic essence of words.
A highlight of the festival was the enriching panel discussion on “Sahitya Ek Therapy Ke Roop Mein: Kya Shabda Zakhm Bhar Sakte Hain?” (Literature as Therapy: Can Words Heal Wounds?). The distinguished panelists included Dr. Amarendra Khatua, Satbir Chadha, Dr. Varsha Das, Anita Chand, and Vandana Bhasin,
The literary spirit of the day was further elevated through soulful poetry readings by Divya K Unni, Bhawana Sethi, Smriti Srivastava, and Dr. Minal, which deeply moved the audience with their emotional resonance and artistic expression.
The event witnessed the grand launch of several significant books, each offering unique perspectives on life, nature, human emotions, diversity, and personal journeys.
‘Drowning in Colors’ by Ishrat Umar is a poetry collection where the poetess expresses various aspects of life, nature, human behavior, and the ever-changing world through thoughtful arrangements of words that evoke the reader’s imagination and lift the veil from hidden beauty.
‘Di-verse-ification: A Repertoire of Poems’ by Rupali Mistry celebrates the diversity and unity in humanity. Like coloured threads forming a vibrant tapestry or twinkling stars creating the night sky, the verses explore what makes people different yet the same, building meaningful relationships between people and with the Almighty.
‘Bas Yun Hi: Kuch Aur Muskanen, Kuch Aur Ehsaas – Bhag 1&2’ by Saurabh Dutt weaves everyday life with a light smile and soft delicacy. The poems capture neighbourhood aunties, the philosophy of golgappas, excuses for skipping the gym, the fragrance of Punjabiyat, childhood memories, and the gentle emotions of relationships—making readers feel “this is exactly like my life.”
‘The Rhythm of Falling Leaves’ by Manoj Krishnan explores the delicate rhythms of life—its transience, love and loss, silent bonds, resilience, and quiet renewal—drawing from nature, mythology, and heartfelt personal reflections. Infused with lyrical grace and profound emotion, this poetry collection leaves a lasting impression that resonates long after reading.
‘A Good Life’ by Zeyd Ladha is a collection of 25 short stories that reflect on balance, purpose, self-discovery, and self-care. From everyday encounters to life-changing events, each meticulously crafted story invites readers to pause and reflect on the journey of life.
‘Meri Yaadon Ke Dhaage’ by Dr. Minal contains 40 poems written during the Asian Literary Society’s National Writing Sprint 2025. These verses on diverse subjects bring immense joy to readers, connecting them to their own inner threads of memories and encouraging deep introspection.
‘UnBridled’ by Divya K Unni is a poetry collection spanning two years that reflects people, places, situations, and experiences—real or imagined—across villages, towns, and cities in India and abroad. It weaves physical terrains with psychological panoramas of emotions, relationships, nostalgia, nature, technology, and social media, presenting life in its multitudinous hues like an unfolding story.
In his inspiring address, Manoj Krishnan, Founder, ALS. reiterated ALS’s commitment to nurturing writers and readers worldwide and creating meaningful platforms where stories and verses become bridges of understanding and healing. Charu Kalra and Kiren Babal moderated the session.
ALS 2025 and Sahitya Manjusha 2025, the annual books of ALS, were also launched in this event.
On this occasion, the Asian Literary Society also felicitated the winners and Certificate of Excellence recipients of the ALS Litfest Awards 2025 across various categories. The Indian Women Achiever Award (Literature) was conferred upon Amita Kar and Dr. Minal, while the Indian Women Rising Star Award (Literature) went to Dr. Mallika Tripathi. Certificates of Excellence in the women’s category were awarded to Dr. Sonia Vashishta Oberoi, Jyothy Sreedhar, and Charu Kalra.
In the Best Book (Non-Fiction) English category, winners were ‘Thank DoG’ by Jyothy Sreedhar and Dr. Mathew K. M. Puthiyidom, and ‘Leading with Words’ by Smita Das Jain. The Best Debut Book (Non-Fiction) English was awarded to ‘LANGUAGE OF LITTLE MINDS PART 1’ by Deepthi Santosh. For Best Book (Fiction) English, the winners were ‘Till Fate Do Us Part’ by Smita Das Jain and ‘A Good Life’ by Zeyd Ladha, with Certificates of Excellence going to ‘A Big Mystery for Little Meena’ by Anamika Kundu and ‘In Just 40 Minutes’ anthology by students of Utpal Shanghvi Global School. The Best Debut Book (Fiction) English was won by ‘LIFE, LOVE & US’ by Dr. Sonia Vashishta Oberoi, with a Certificate of Excellence to ‘The Adventures of Dabba and Jalebi: Dabba and the Disappearing Dosas’ by Bhawana Sethi.
In the Best Poetry Book (Hindi) category, winners were ‘Antardhwani’ by Smriti Srivastava, ‘Sukhan Ka Safar’ by Nitin Patil ‘Nadeem’ and ‘Ek Pati Pita Ke Naam’ by Dr. Mallika Tripathi, with Certificates of Excellence awarded to ‘Thootha Bargad Aur Ekaki Pathik’ by Amita Kar, ‘Tumhari Yaadon Ke Phool’ by Dr. Minal, and ‘Antarman Ke Deep’ by Smriti Srivastava. The Best Poetry Book (English) winners were ‘Verses by the Little Quill of Life’ by Rupali Mistry and ‘Between the Shadow and the Soul’ by Sonal Singh, with a Certificate of Excellence to ‘UnBridled’ by Divya K Unni. Finally, the Best Debut Poetry Book (English) was jointly awarded to ‘UnBridled’ by Divya K Unni and ‘A Canvas of Soulful Verses’ by Charu Kalra, with a Certificate of Excellence to ‘moments, madness, tears and a smile’ by Tanuja Thakur.
The 8th ALS LITFEST 2026 concluded with warm felicitations and a deep sense of inspiration, reaffirming the Asian Literary Society’s dedication to promoting literary excellence, the healing power of literature, and building a vibrant global community of writers and readers.
ALS is a dynamic community of thousands of readers, writers, and poets from across the world. Founded by Manoj Krishnan, it organizes literary festivals, awards, anthologies, and creative events to celebrate diverse voices and nurture emerging talent.
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