Inaugural Online Series
Four Sundays in July 2026 — bringing together poets, publishers, translators, anthologists, and readers from across India for the formal launch of Kavita India.
Kavita India will be formally launched in July 2026 through a monthlong series of online events. Each Sunday features a panel discussion or conversation followed by a poetry reading. All events are free, open to everyone, and streamed live on YouTube.
The Launch of Kavita India
The inaugural programme marks the formal birth of Kavita India: The Poets' Collective. The event opens with an inaugural address followed by a presentation outlining the vision, objectives, and future plans of the collective.
The programme will include the release of selected poetry collections and a multilingual poetry reading by invited poets — voices from across the languages represented in the collective.
Programme
Poetry Publishing in India Today
This session brings together representatives of small presses, independent publishers, magazine editors, and poets to explore the opportunities and challenges facing poetry publication in India today.
Topics will include readership and distribution, editorial practice, digital platforms, sustainability of independent initiatives, and the role of small publishers in nurturing new voices. The discussion will conclude with a poetry reading.
Programme
The Art of the Poetry Anthology
Through a conversation with editors, anthologists, and contributing poets, this programme examines how anthologies shape literary histories, create communities of readers, preserve traditions, and introduce emerging voices.
Particular attention will be given to multilingual anthologies and the challenges of representing the extraordinary diversity of Indian poetry within a single volume.
Programme
Translation as Literary Citizenship
The concluding inaugural event celebrates the vital role of translation in creating conversations across languages. Poets and translators working between Indian languages, as well as between Indian and world literatures, will reflect on the creative, ethical, and cultural dimensions of their work.
The session will explore translation as a form of literary citizenship that expands readerships, deepens mutual understanding, and enriches the shared space of poetry. The event will conclude with readings of original poems alongside their translations.