New Delhi: Sudha Murty to deliver 'The Penguin Annual Lecture' on December 11

Penguin Random House India announced the 13th edition of 'The Penguin Annual Lecture' to be held on December 11 at The Imperial, New Delhi. This year, award-winning, bestselling author Sudha Murty will deliver the lecture on 'Storytelling and Social Change: How Literature Influences Who We Are and What We Do'.

Sudha Murty will bring two of her passions to the lecture – storytelling and social work – to showcase the deep-rooted connection between literary arts and philanthropy. In addition, to being a much-loved and eminent writer, Sudha Murty is widely known for her philanthropic efforts and she will share her views on storytelling as a catalyst to bring about change in the way we think and thereby transform society. Taking cues from her written work and life experiences, she will talk about how literature transcends borders and languages and has the power to initiate conversations to bring about social revolutions.

Commenting on the topic of the lecture, Sudha Murty says, ''Writing is a medium of my expression and experience. I have been blessed that my personal experiences have touched the hearts of readers. In my life's journey of literature and social work, I have unexpectedly found that reading has sparked an interest in some men, women and even children to begin to make a difference in a small way. To me, that is the real success of my work.''

An iconic writer and a brilliant storyteller, Sudha Murty have carved a special place in the Indian literary landscape and the heart of Indian readers. As chairperson for Infosys Foundation, a public charitable trust founded in 1996, Murty focuses on healthcare, education, public hygiene, empowerment of women and much more. She dedicates her time to impress upon the importance of reading and her efforts have led to the setting up of more than 60,000 libraries across Karnataka. A prolific writer in English and Kannada, she has written novels, technical books, travelogues, collections of short stories and non-fiction pieces, and nine bestselling books for children. Her books have been translated into all major Indian languages. Sudha Murty is the recipient of the R.K. Narayan Award for Literature (2006), the Padma Shri (2006), and the Attimabbe Award from the Government of Karnataka for excellence in Kannada literature (2011). In 2018, her book Three Thousand Stitches: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives won the popular award in the non-fiction category at the 16th Crossword Book Award. This year, her title The Upside-Down King: Unusual Tales about Rama and Krishna has been shortlisted for the Popular Awards in children's category of the 17th Crossword Book Awards.