Sotomayor to headline star packed Ekamra Sports Lit Fest

NEW DELHI: Talk about raising the bar. The Ekamra Sports Literature Festival is set to hit new heights as Olympic gold medallist and world record holder Javier Sotomayor headlines its 2025 edition.

Sotomayor, the only man to have ever cleared the mythical 8 feet barrier, will share the stage at Season 7 of the festival with India’s current high jump national record holder Tejaswin Shankar. The Cuban icon first soared past 8 feet in 1989 and cemented his place in history in 1993 with a staggering world record leap of 2.45m, a mark that has stood untouched for more than 32 years. At ESLF, he will break down the science, struggle and soul behind a record that continues to defy generations.

Reflecting on his visit to India, Sotomayor said it was an honour to be part of a festival visited by world class athletes over the years, adding that he has followed India’s rise in athletics closely and celebrated Neeraj Chopra’s historic Olympic triumph.

This season’s line-up widens the lens with Palestinian middle distance runner Mohammed Dwedar, fresh from the Tokyo World Championships, who will speak about training under pressure, navigating borders and the emotional weight of representing Palestine on the global stage.

Adding more international firepower is Italian author Franco Nugnes, who will discuss his deep dive into Ayrton Senna’s final race in his book Senna: The Truth, and writer filmmaker Jarrod Kimber, who will explore The Art of Batting and the personalities who shaped modern cricket.

The festival also spotlights India’s next wave of athletics talent, with hurdler Shourya Ambure, triple jumper Poorva Sawant and distance runner Bushra Khan sharing their journeys and the grind of breaking through in elite sport.

On the para sport front, Padma Shri awardee Deepa Malik, India’s first female Paralympic medallist, will speak about her autobiography Bring It On, reflecting on resilience, representation and the road to sporting glory.

Authors Sandeep Menon (Sacred Grounds) and Jaydeep Basu (Who Stole My Football) add to the literary slate, offering fresh perspectives on sport and culture.

Festival director and sports writer Sundeep Misra said each edition pushes the conversation forward and aims to create a space where athletes and authors speak openly about their craft and their lives, helping audiences cut through the noise that surrounds modern sport.

A key attraction returns in the form of India’s only Sports Book Awards, honouring standout titles across categories including book of the year, biography, autobiography, cricket book, special jury award and publisher of the year.

The Ekamra Sports Literature Festival 2025 will be held on 22 November at Delhi’s Bikaner House from 10:30 am onwards.