Kashmiri Pandit women scholar Neerja Mattoo, Bangladeshi poet Sadaf Saaz and global economist Dambisa Moyo are among the 250 speakers set to appear at the 10th edition of Jaipur Literary festival (JLF) next year.
After the first three lists, which were a mix of both national and international authors, journalists and opinion makers, the third list is evidently dominated by women speakers from across the globe.
Best known for the riveting TED Talk on her life in North Korea and eventual escape to China, Hyeonseo Lee will be one of the speakers at the festival.
"A North Korean defector living in Seoul, her recent memoir 'The Girl with Seven Names - A North Korean Defector's Story', has been published in 18 languages," organisers said.
Making her first appearance at JLF will be Lila Azam Zanganeh from New York City. Her litearry career includes penning articles, interviews and essays to publications including 'The New York Times', 'Le Monde', and 'The Paris Review'.
JLF will also witness sessions by Rachel Dwyer, a Professor of Indian Cultures and Cinema at the School of Asian Studies, University of London, who has written and edited several books and anthologies on Indian cinema.
Her most recent book is 'Picture Abhi Baaki Hai: Bollywood As a Guide to Modern India'.
Sadaf Saaz, who is not only a poet and activist, but also the co-director and producer of the Dhaka Literature Festival in Bangladesh will be seen making a strong case for South Asian arts and culture as well as women's rights.
A former Professor of English at Government Women College in Srinagar, Neerja Mattoo is among the few Kashmiri Pandit women scholars who continue to remain in touch with the academic world in the conflict ridden state.
A writer, translator, academic and social activist, she will return to Jaipur Literature Festival next year.
To celebrate the 10 years of the festival that is touted as the world's largest free literary event, the organisers have been announcing 10 speakers set to appear at the festival every week over a period of 10 weeks every Tuesday.
Other speakers on the list include famous Rajasthani author and poet Hari Ram Meena, writer and former US ambassador to India Robert Blackwill, British author AN Wilson and Caribbean poet Vladimir Lucien.
The 5-day-long event will be held from January 19 - 23, 2017 at the Diggi Palace hotel in Jaipur.
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