The ninth edition of PlayWrite 2026, the annual sports literature festival will be organised on March 14, 2026 at The Lalit, Chandigarh. The announcement was made by Vivek Atray, Chitranjan Agarwal and Hardeep Singh Chandpuri, Co Founders of the PlayWrite Foundation in the presence of legendary Hindi commentator Sushil Doshi during a press conference held at the Chandigarh Press Club on Friday.
The PlayWrite Lit Fest has over the years evolved into a unique platform celebrating sports narratives, literature and the inspiring people behind them.
Present on the occasion, Sushil Doshi lauded the PlayWrite initiative and shared insights from his decades-long association with the cricket and broadcaster. According to Sushil Doshi “Sport is full of powerful stories involving courage, failure, comeback and glory. When literature captures these moments, it gives sport a lasting voice. Platforms like PlayWrite beautifully connect the thrill of the field with the depth of storytelling.”
The day-long festival will feature several engaging and interactive sessions highlighting personal journeys, challenges and the evolving landscape of sports in India. The programme will cover a diverse range of themes including women in cricket, the 100 years of Indian hockey,women in sports journalism, emerging sporting talents, book discussions and grassroots sports development.
The festival will begin with the inaugural keynote address by “Blade Runner” Kiran Kanojia, who will share her inspiring journey and experiences in sports. Later, the session titled “Ice Breaking: Ice Hockey” will bring together Harjinder Singh Jindi, founder of the Indian Ice Hockey Association, along with Gurpreet Bakshi and Diskit Chonzom Angmo, captain of the Indian women’s ice hockey team, to discuss the growth and challenges of the sport in India.
Another session of the day, “Bright Prospects: Young International Sportspersons,” will feature rising shooting stars Ganemat Sekhon, Raiza Dhillon and Bhavani Thekkada in conversation with Hardeep Chandpuri.
The focus will shift to media with “Steely Journalism,” where noted journalists Mona and Neeru Bhatia will interact with Saurabh Duggal about the evolving role of women in Indian sports journalism. Golf lovers will find interest in the “Newer Golf Vistas,” featuring Amrit Mathur in conversation with Chitranjan Agarwal.
The post-lunch session “We Are the Champions!”, a book discussion featuring veteran cricket writer Vijay Lokapally and Akshay Lokapally with Vivek Atray. Later, “Tennis at the Grassroots” will see former Davis Cup player Vishal Uppal interacting with a young tennis player in a discussion moderated by Sukhwant Basra.
Later in the evening, “100 Years of Indian Hockey,” will feature former Olympian Pargat Singh, Kuldip Singh Bhogal and Hasan Meijie in conversation with Col DS Cheema, reflecting on the glorious legacy of Indian hockey.
The festival will conclude with “Women Cricket- Soaring Higher” where Shishir Hattangadi and Nagesh Gupta will speak with Umesh Sharma on the role of coaching in shaping sporting excellence.
According to Vivek Atray, “Sports are not only about records and results; they are also about stories of courage and the human spirit. PlayWrite offers a platform where these stories are shared, celebrated and preserved, and we hope sports enthusiasts will come forward to be a part of this inspiring celebration.”
