Two writers and a producer, including the British novelist William Dalrymple, are aiming to turn next year’s Jaipur Literature Festival into the event in India to rival the UK’s Guardian Hay Festival.

The fourth annual festival will take place in the beautiful Rajasthani city of Jaipur, India, in January 2009, and include writers such as Shashi Tharoor, Pico Iyer, Mohsin Hamid, Vikram Seth, Patrick French and Pankaj Mishra.

Authors such as Ian McEwan, Aruna Roy, Miranda Seymour, Fatima Bhutto, Christopher Hampton, Manil Suri and others are also scheduled to attend.

The organisers say it will be an example of what an international literarature festival should be all about.

They add that running alongside the talks, seminars and workshops will be screenings, musical evenings, parties and galas, playing host to authors, publishers, political commentators, screenwriters, musicians, international delegates and book lovers from around the world.

Media contact: Veronica Hall
www.jaipurliteraturefestival.org