Politics, tech take centre stage at Bengaluru book fest

BENGALURU: The second day of the Book Brahma Literature Festival 2026 went beyond books and literary discussions, turning the three-day event into a platform for conversations on politics, governance, AI, employment and social change.

Speaking at a session titled ‘People Before Politics: Is India Ready for a New Political Culture?’, Melukote MLA Darshan Puttannaiah said politics should be a means to improve people’s lives rather than a route to acquiring power. He called for greater focus on the concerns of farmers, workers and ordinary citizens, and urged young people to view politics as an instrument of social change.

Writer and political analyst Rasheed Kidwai discussed Karnataka’s political equations and the rise of Chief Minister DK Shivakumar in the context of his book ‘DK Shivakumar: Congress’s Crisis Manager, Karnataka’s Kingmaker’. He said documenting the lives and decisions of political leaders objectively was essential to help citizens understand their representatives.

AI and its impact on employment also emerged as a key theme. Chaudhary Group Chairman Binod Chaudhary said rapid advances in AI would require continuous learning, adaptation and innovation. He stressed the need for India to strengthen workforce skills, particularly in AI awareness and critical thinking. Rather than completely replacing humans, AI was more likely to enhance the capabilities of those able to use it effectively, he said.

The festival also witnessed the launch of several books and the announcement of the ‘Book Brahma–Bookworm English Fiction of the Year 2026’ award. Janani Kannan’s English translation of Perumal Murugan’s ‘Fire Bird’ won the award.

A sitar jugalbandi by Ustad Rafiq Khan and Ustad Shafique Khan and other cultural programmes added to the festival’s literary and cultural appeal.