Anil Dharker Lecture 2025

Now every flame has a sparker

And for Literature Live it's Anil Dharker.

The Fest is now in its 16th year.

For that, Anil deserves a cheer.

Anil Alas! Is now no more

But at this fest he abides for sure!

Anil was a man of many parts.

Master of sciences, as well as arts!

In an age of specialists it is strange

To find a person with such a range.

No matter how hard you scan

You won’t find such a Renaissance Man!

An expert in the field of salt

And a connoisseur of single malt.

In every art he excelled.

At NFDC he propelled

Indian film to critical acclaim.

Directors he promoted, made their name.

Gandhi coproduction added to his fame.

He was an expert at the editorial game.

His greatest legacy is Literature Live!

We look to Amy to make it thrive.

And all of us certainly ought

To give it our utmost support.

Anil and India’s Birthdays are the same.

And Anil loved to play that game

But there was a tiny hitch.

In Anil’s mind a major glitch.

Anil was born in ‘46.

Something he just couldn’t fix.

He wasn’t quite the midnight child.

To this he wasn’t reconciled.

But I say Anil took the lead!

He was the one who did precede.

Hark! The herald angel sings.

Independence is what it brings!

Let us have a dual celebration

Both Anil as well as his nation!

This time we’re celebrating later.

But to my mind it’s even greater.

Anil and India have their day.

But this time fortune came my way.

My Birthday we can celebrate

As it happens to fall on this date!

 

Santosh Desai

 

Our speaker Santosh Desai stands

At the intersection of culture and brands.

He understands both very well.

And from his writings one can tell

He understands cultural evolution

Especially the technological revolution.

As a writer he deserves our cheers

For City City Bang Bang’s twenty years!

Some of it summarised in his book.

To learn more do take a look!

He observes life with the greatest care

But it’s not detail that he’d like to share.

The true essence is what he seeks

Of these true insights he writes and speaks.

He started of with traditional brands

But as he also understands

Both culture and technology

In his new venture we clearly see

The power unleashed when all three

Are combined holistically.

At Think9 Technologies

Great success is what one sees.

A hundred brands have been created,

Carefully nurtured and cultivated.

Great success is what one can expect

From digital brands with consumer connect.

Tremendous Turmoil has been unfurled

In many parts of our troubled world.

Can we escape the coming blight?

Will our future still be bright?

Santosh can provide us cultural insight.

We are sure his speech will be a delight.