KHUSHWANT Singh would have been delighted. The latest Khushwant Singh Literary Festival (KSLF) revived his memory over two days at SOAS in London, the city he loved as much as his birthplace, Hadali (in Pakistan).

The sessions began and ended with two Pakistanis. The keynote speaker, on June 1, had taken Khushwant’s ashes 10 years ago from Delhi for interment in Hadali. The closing session included a brilliant presentation by Prof Qasim Aziz, a professor of neuro-gastroenterology, speaking on the art of healing.

The London litfest followed the pattern of previous ones held each year at Kasauli (Khushwant’s summer home), a military cantonment in Himachal Pradesh. Pakistanis are not allowed there. The local commandant felt it would be tantamount to ‘allowing the enemy behind the lines’.

London, by contrast, is apolitical. Indo-Pak-Bangladesh issues are miles away. The KSLF sessions could express opinions without invoking Chatham House rules. The only vapours of dissension came from a small group outside SOAS’ Brunei Gallery, protesting against Israeli atrocities in Gaza.

Many sweated the Raj out of their system.

Many speakers sweated the Raj out of their system. One author — the Bengali Subhadra Das —........

© Dawn