Thiruvananthapuram, Jan. 29 -- The Mathrubhumi International Festival of Letters 2026 commenced on Thursday with the esteemed presence of veteran actor Mohanlal, acclaimed writers KR Meera, Jonas Luscher and business leader MA Yusuff Ali, among several other dignitaries.

During the inaugural ceremony, Mohanlal lit the ceremonial lamp and reflected on a century of Malayalam literary heritage, drawing parallels with his own longstanding engagement with the written word.

Day 1 of the festival featured several engaging sessions. Award-winning international journalist Anjana Sankar and The Hindu's International Affairs Editor Stanly Johny led a discussion titled "Palestine, Gaza and the Future of West Asia", emphasising that the conflict can...