The award-winning poet, novelist, librettist, musician, and literary editor Jeet Thayil from India will be the third Curator in Residence at the 26th international literature festival berlin (ilb).
Jeet Thayil is at home across a wide range of literary genres. He began writing poetry in his youth, later worked as a journalist, and eventually turned to fiction. His writing often moves fluidly between forms, blending autobiographical elements with classical motifs.
His debut novel “Narcopolis” (2012) attracted international attention, making the shortlist for both the Booker Prize and the Man Asian Literary Prize, and winning the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature. Thayil was a guest of the 13th international literature festival berlin in 2013 with this debut. His seventh collection of poetry, “The City Under the City” (2025), was created in collaboration with John Kinsella. His most recent novel, “The Elsewhereans: A Documentary Novel” (2025), was published in the summer of 2025 and has already been celebrated as a masterpiece.
The writer Saskya Jain, a member of the selection committee, explained the decision as follows:
“Jeet Thayil is an exceptional voice in international literature whose multifaceted work weaves together poetry, prose, performance, and music. His curatorial perspective is global in scope, artistically uncompromising, and deeply intertwined with the dynamic, cross-border spirit of Berlin. Through his effortless movement between genres, he opens up a truly interdisciplinary curatorial vision. At the same time, he possesses a profound understanding of the cultural and political complexities of contemporary South Asia and engages with universal questions of loss and resistance.”
Lavinia Frey, Festival Director:
“The Curator in Residence concept has been a great success, as it allows us to integrate an international perspective into the festival’s design from the very beginning. We are very much looking forward to working with Jeet Thayil, as each Curator in Residence brings a distinct perspective, their own questions and ideas that shape the festival. My special thanks go to the selection committee.”
Curator in Residence
For the third time, an internationally renowned literary figure has been appointed as Curator in Residence, with Jeet Thayil taking on the role in the coming year. The program was initiated in 2024 by the festival’s organizing body, the Peter-Weiss-Stiftung für Kunst und Kultur e.V., to bring fresh perspectives to the ilb. The Curator in Residence works closely with the festival’s curatorial team, contributes to the program with their own events, and invites new voices to showcase the diversity of the global literary scene. This principle strengthens the ilb’s international network, enriches, focuses, and amplifies its polyphony, and has become a defining element of the festival’s identity.
Jeet Thayil photograph (c) Aliasgar Dhariwala
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