ArtistStoryteller / DastangoSpoken-word storytellingNew Delhi, North India, India

Laksh Maheshwari

A hugely popular contemporary storyteller and author known as Single Handedly, who blends humour, poetry and philosophy and staged India's first stadium storytelling show.
Major Large (500-1500)Grand (1500+) Active since 2019

About

Laksh Maheshwari, known on stage and online as Single Handedly, is one of India's most popular contemporary storytellers, as well as a podcaster, live-performance artist and author. Blending storytelling with humour, poetry, philosophy, culture and spirituality, he has built a large following and taken spoken-word storytelling to new scale.

A former finance research analyst in Gurugram, Laksh Maheshwari made a decisive pivot to the stage in 2019, becoming a storyteller, spoken-word artist and stand-up performer. He hosted the Indore Literature Festival, authored the Descendants Trilogy, earned a YouTube silver play button and, on 14 June 2026, headlined Khushiyan at Talkatora Stadium in Delhi before a crowd of over two thousand, billed as the first-ever standalone storytelling show staged in a stadium in India, a milestone for the spoken-word format.

The artistry

Maheshwari's performances weave together storytelling, poetry, film nostalgia and reflections on love, loss and human connection, moving audiences between laughter and tears. Born with one arm and performing as Single Handedly, he foregrounds his own identity with flair, and is known for an intimate yet commanding stage presence that has carried from club spaces to stadium tiers.

⬩ Atlas Perspective

[Atlas Perspective] Laksh Maheshwari is among the most popular and high-reach contemporary storytellers in India, and a format pioneer with his stadium show. For festivals, large live events and youth-facing programmes, he is a strong choice.

Laksh Maheshwari has helped take contemporary spoken-word storytelling to unprecedented scale in India, culminating in the first standalone storytelling show staged in a stadium, and has widened the audience and commercial possibility for the form.

Performance

SoloConcertFestivalSpoken word

Publications & productions

Khushiyan
India's first standalone stadium storytelling show, at Talkatora Stadium, Delhi
Recording · 2026
The Descendants Trilogy
His book series, including The Descendants and The Ancestors
Recording
Echoes of Rajasthan
A storytelling performance of Rajasthani tales
Recording

Career & milestones

2019
Pivoted to storytelling and spoken word
2021
Hosted the Indore Literature Festival
2026
Khushiyan at Talkatora Stadium
India's first standalone stadium storytelling show, 2000+ audience

Festivals & appearances

Khushiyan, Talkatora Stadium, Delhi
India's first stadium storytelling show
Performer · 2026
Indore Literature Festival and heritage festivals
Host / performer

Recognition

YouTube Silver Play Button
YouTube
Cover feature, The Atom Magazine
2023

Connections

Based in
Practises
Connected Discoveries

Connected Discoveries

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