Vatsala Chhibber Literature Live! Bookster Programme

The Vatsala Chhibber Bookster Programme by Literature Live! brings together a spirited group of young readers aged 11 to 18 from across India for three immersive days at The Mumbai LitFest. Designed for those who live and breathe stories, the program offers a chance to step into a world of books, conversations, and ideas that inspire and challenge in equal measure.

Each year, only a handful of passionate readers are chosen as Booksters, to experience the festival from within, with special access to workshops, sessions, and performances. Highlights include a delightful Tea with Authors session and daily check-ins with a dedicated mentor who helps each participant shape their festival journey.

At the end of this literary adventure, every Bookster shares a short reflection and a set of photographs capturing their most memorable moments. These stories and snapshots will be featured on Literature Live! platforms, celebrating the voices and visions of the next generation of readers and storytellers.

Booksters for Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest 2025:

Annika Somani | 15 years old

Anya Hannan | 12 years old

Darayus Davar | 11 years old

Kabir Godbole | 12 years old

Leia Ann Francis | 14 years old

Madhavan Sridhar | 14 years old

Nayantara Puri Arora | 16 years old

Nayra Shah | 15 years old

Nimit Sonthalia | 18 years old

Saayuri Karmarkar | 12 years old
This program is dedicated to the memory of Vatsala Chhibber (1988–2025), a gifted Mumbai-based writer and editor. A graduate of St Xavier's, Mumbai, her contribution to publications like Elle India, Mint Lounge, YouthInc, Comixense and others, reflect the clarity, depth, creativity and refinement that she brought to every story she told or shaped in her short, but spirited life.
Vatsala believed that words had the power to comfort, illuminate and transform. She loved music, cinema, dance, travel, but reading and writing was how she made sense of her life and of others. Even through her battle with cancer, she engaged compassionately and meaningfully with the world and the people around her. Inspiring younger minds to do the same, in even a small way, is what she would have wanted. This initiative is one such step.