Jaipur Bookmark 2026 Unveils Fellowship Winners and Star Speaker Line-up for South Asia’s Premier Publishing Summit

Ananya soch: Jaipur Bookmark (JBM), South Asia’s leading B2B publishing forum, will return from 15–19 January 2026, bringing together an exceptional roster of literary and publishing leaders from India and around the world. The upcoming edition will feature an impressive list of speakers, including Ananth Padmanabhan, Arkopol Chowdhury, Aarti Jain, Arunava Sinha, Deepa Bhashti, Dhruv Singh, Emma House, Gunjan Ahlawat, Harsha Bhatkal, Hemali Sodhi, Jay Prakash Pandey, Jayapriya Vasudevan, Jeet Thayil, Kanishka Gupta, Karuna Gokhale, Martin Puchner, Neeraj Jain, Richa Jha, Rita Kothari, Sanjeev Gupta, Shailesh Bharatwasi, Sohini Mitra, Sugata Ghosh, Trisha Das, Vaishali Mathur, Vivek Shanbhag, William Sieghart, Yoshitoki Oima and Yoshiaki Koga.

Continuing its long-standing collaboration with the British Council, JBM has announced the India–UK Publishing Fellowship 2026 recipients. From applications invited between 20 August and 31 October 2025, two outstanding Fellows have been selected:
• Harriet Hirshman, Publishing Manager at Dead Ink Books, Liverpool—known for commissioning titles and leading editorial, production and rights workflows. She was recently shortlisted for the Future Leader of the Year at the Futurebook Awards.
• Ruby Hembrom, an Adivasi publisher, cultural archivist and activist who founded Adivaani in 2012, recognized for her pioneering work in documenting Adivasi identity and knowledge systems.

Both Fellows will participate in Jaipur Bookmark 2026 as well as the London Book Fair 2026 (10–12 March), supported by the British Council.

Sharing insights on the upcoming edition, Manisha Chaudhry, Director of Jaipur Bookmark, said:
“JBM has evolved alongside the publishing industry, and the 2026 edition will deepen our focus on rights exchange, translation, and emerging trends. This year we are introducing fresh conversations on digital innovation, emerging markets, and the changing landscape of storytelling.”

Namita Gokhale, Co-founder & Co-director of the Jaipur Literature Festival and Director of JBM, added:
“JBM has become a vibrant global meeting ground for publishing professionals. It is a space where ideas and stories travel across languages and cultures, fostering creativity and long-term collaboration.”

Hema Singh Rance, Director Arts India, British Council, highlighted the fellowship’s strategic value:
“Our partnership with JBM strengthens cultural exchange between India and the UK. The India–UK Publishing Fellowship nurtures future industry leaders with a strong emphasis on inclusion and diverse voices.”

Over the years, Jaipur Bookmark has emerged as a vital platform for discovering trends, exchanging ideas and building meaningful partnerships across the global publishing landscape. As the publishing wing of the Jaipur Literature Festival, JBM has spent more than a decade nurturing dialogue on the business and future of books. Teamwork Arts, the organiser of JBM and JLF, continues its legacy of creating world-class cultural platforms connecting India with the world.