NASA astronaut Sunita Williams to attend Kerala Literature Festival 2026

Kozhikode (Kerala) [India], January 1 : The Kerala Literature Festival (KLF) 2026 has announced renowned NASA astronaut Sunita Williams as a key participant and Guest of Honour for its upcoming edition.
DC Books, the organiser of KLF, made the announcement through its social media platforms, sharing a poster welcoming Sunita Williams to the festival.
The post reads, "Her name is etched in space. We are over the moon to announce that the legendary astronaut Sunita Williams will be joining us as our Guest of Honour. Get ready for an out-of-this-world experience with Sunita Williams at the Kerala Literature Festival. Don't miss this chance to listen to a woman who has proved that courage knows no boundaries."
KLF 2026 will feature over 500 speakers from across the globe, with Germany announced as the guest nation for this year's edition.
The speaker line-up includes Nobel Laureates Abdulrazak Gurnah, Olga Tokarczuk, and Abhijit Banerjee; Olympian Ben Johnson; business leader Indra Nooyi; artist and illustrator Cheyenne Olivier; writer Gabriela Ybarra; economist Arvind Subramanian; linguist and author Peggy Mohan; author and columnist Shobhaa De; writer and former diplomat Amish Tripathi; actor and singer Piyush Mishra; curator Helen Molesworth; writer and activist Banu Mushtaq; writer and journalist Deepa Bhasthi; essayist Pico Iyer; environmental activist Dr Vandana Shiva.
Jnanpith award-winning writer Pratibha Ray; historian Romila Thapar; novelist Anita Nair; noted Telugu author Volga; conservation biologist Neha Sinha; actor and social commentator Prakash Raj; author-diplomat Pavan K. Varma; author, parliamentarian and public intellectual Dr Shashi Tharoor; Indian comedian Vir Das; and Tamil film director and activist Pa. Ranjith, among others.
Held annually in Kozhikode, India's first UNESCO City of Literature, the Kerala Literature Festival has emerged as one of the world's largest literary gatherings. The previous edition recorded over 6.5 lakh visitors and featured more than 600 speakers. Set against the backdrop of Kozhikode Beach, KLF continues to provide an open and inclusive platform for dialogue, creativity, and the exchange of ideas.