What is SAALF?
Chicago’s first annual South Asian American Lit Fest (SAALF) 2026 is a free, one-day immersive diaspora event celebrating literary traditions and cultural expression. The festival showcases the depth and diversity of South Asian writing and highlights its intersection with Chicago’s vibrant literary landscape.
The festival is hosted by South Asia Institute and supported by generous grants from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), English PEN / South Asian Literature in Translation (SALT) Project at the University of Chicago, the Hundal Foundation, and numerous community sponsors.
— Ignatius Valentine Aloysius, Festival Curator and Director
23 voices. One day. A festival of literature, ideas, and conversation.
On Saturday, August 22, South Asia Institute welcomes writers, poets, scholars, and readers for the inaugural South Asian American Literary Festival (SAALF) 2026.
We’ll kick off the day at 9:30 AM with opening remarks featuring the City of Chicago’s CPL Commissioner Brown, Ald. Pat Dowell of Ward 3, and South Asia Institute leadership, as we celebrate the vibrant literary voices of the South Asian American and diaspora communities.
At 11:00 AM, join us for our keynote conversation with acclaimed writer and poet Fatimah Asghar, followed by a book signing.
Spend the day with readings, conversations, panels, book signings, and opportunities to connect with some of the most compelling voices working across literature and culture today.
And we’ll close out the festival with DJ music, dancing, and drinks from 6:00–7:30 PM!
FEATURING
as of 8.18.26
Ignatius Valentine Aloysius
Fatimah Asghar
Virginia Bell
Parul L. Bhandari
Sana Chaudhry
Sonali Dev
Dina Elenbogen
Samina Hadi-Tabassum
Susan Harris
Nishanth Injam
Ami Kaye
Dr. Ammara Khalid
Punita Khanna
Amna Malik
Preeti Parikh
Raghav Rao
Laura A. Ring
Colleen Taylor
Sen Kunal Sen
Shirin Shamsi
Vivek Sharma
Kashiana Singh
Nina Sudhakar