Sanjoy K. Roy is one of the three swashbuckling musketeers behind ‘the greatest literature show on earth’—the iconic Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF), now in its 19th edition. As one of the three pillars (along with Namita Gokhale and William Dalrymple), he helped launch JLF in 2006.
Sanjoy, the silver-maned, indefatigable energy ball, takes care of production—a task as daunting as managing the monumental egos of writers. “Art is the best means we have of bringing people together from different nations, across all ages,” says Sanjoy, his alert eye and manic energy ensuring every small detail is in place.
As an “entrepreneur of the arts’’, Sanjoy (managing director of Teamwork Arts, the company he started in 1986), oversees 33 festivals across 42 cities and 17 countries.
I have been closely associated with the JLF trio from the beginning. But it is really Sanjoy, his beautiful wife Puneeta, and the team that treat me as extended family. Whether they like it or not, I presumptuously include myself in this close-knit, loving parivar. I have travelled with them from Cape Town to Hong Kong, Doha to Seattle, and always felt cared for in a way that goes well beyond the standard “we have to look after our authors”.
Most recently, we were together at the Spain and London editions of JLF. So much was going on in the world beyond our protected haven of discourses and discussions—from the tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad, to the war in Iran, to the shocking death of industrialist Sunjay Kapur while playing polo at Windsor. Shaken by these developments, we promptly cancelled a rendezvous that was to be hosted for special invitees at the Taj-run St James’ Court. The mood was sombre and far from celebratory. But the rest of the show had to go on—and it did. Inside the hallowed halls of the British Library, global writers gathered, as eager delegates packed the venues to listen to some extraordinary voices discuss the critical issues of our time. Sanjoy and his team managed it all. A few disappointed latecomers were accommodated in a separate area with monitors to listen to their favourite writers.
Sanjoy, who had suffered a serious leg injury requiring stitches during a concert in Valladolid two nights earlier, didn’t miss a beat or his step as he gamely limped up and down the stage. His grasp of multiple subjects, his deep understanding of different genres of music and dance, combined with a recall that is scary, see him take on different avatars without protest!
For a man dedicated to theatre (Shah Rukh Khan remains a close friend from back then), Sanjoy’s journey has been extraordinary. After graduating from St Stephen’s College, he was subjected to a tough interview by Puneeta’s father when he went to ask for her hand: “What do you do? How much do you earn? How will you support my daughter?” the father asked “I work in theatre. I earn 01,000 a month. And Puneeta will look after both of us with her corporate salary,’’ he replied. That’s Sanjoy. And that’s Puneeta. Soul mates in every which way. “I understand his mad energy. And he gets my calmness,’’ says Puneeta, beaming fondly as she watches her hyper-energetic husband leap around. The arts are in great hands!
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