“My name is Mithali, and I’m from Loyola Academy. I’m currently pursuing Bachelors in Psychology, Literature, and Journalism. My love for reading started during the pandemic when I was doing my intermediate course in literature. Over time, it’s grown stronger, especially now with my degree in Literature.

I started with self-help books, and recently I read this book You Are the Best Wife: A True Love Story by Ajay Pandey. The writing style touched me so much and I actually cried for two hours after finishing it. Since then, I’ve been exploring books that feel meaningful to me.

Psychology, though, is my real passion. I chose it as my major because I’ve seen how much stigma and ignorance surround mental health. Many people don’t realize its importance, and therapy often feels out of reach because of how expensive it’s become. I’ve experienced this firsthand when I couldn’t afford therapy myself. That’s what inspired me to pursue this field—I want to become a psychologist and make therapy accessible and affordable for people who really need it.

I came to the Hyderabad Literary Festival (HLF) after hearing about it through my college.

It’s my first time here, and I’m here with my friends from Loyola. The festival is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, and it’s such a wonderful space. It has everything from discussions and workshops to cultural performances and film screenings. We first attended Shabana Azmi’s talk, A Life in Cinema, which was very enlightening.

The festival has this amazing vibe-you get to meet people who share your interests, explore new ideas, and just connect. It’s not just about literature or art; it’s a community where you can learn and grow. For me, it’s been inspiring to see so many perspectives come together in one place.

To anyone reading this, I’d say don’t stick to one type of writing. Explore different genres and styles-especially poetry, which has so much depth. I write poems myself, and I also love dancing. Psychology, of course, remains my main focus. I hope to write my own book one day and share my journey with the world.”