Excelsior Correspondent
KATRA, Feb 20: The annual literature festival of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Lit Life’17, which is organized by the Department of Languages and Literature every year, was held with enthusiasm and fanfare.
The festival was inaugurated by Dr Aziz Hajini, Secretary, JK Academy of Art, Culture and Languages and Sahitya Akademi awardee Kashmiri writer and translator. He highlighted how regional literature is threatened by current consumerist approach of both reader and writer.
Speaking about Lit Life’17, Dr Vandana Sharma, Dean, Head of the Department said that the theme of Lit life 2017 is ‘Literature in the 21st century, which has brought together creative minds from diverse fields of the country.
Prominent speakers in the fest, included Sayeed Naqvi, prominent Journalist and commentator who spoke about his career in writing and journalism and also about his recent popular book, ‘Being the Other, Muslim in India’.
Another notable session in the fest was “Writing our Times” where Danesh Rana, IGP, Jammu spoke about his novel Red Maize. Continuing his literary exploits, he is soon going to come up with a new book, which is also his expression and reflections on current situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
Have Bloggers carved out a space in the digital world was another popular session, where Arvind Passey, senior Journalist and blogger, said that how blogging helps to writing instincts to evolve with digital age acting as a catalyst.
Prominent poets and scholars who spoke in the Fest were Shiv Nirmohi, noted writer and scholar, Prakash Premi, O P Vidarthi, Dr Veena Pandita, Surjit Hosh, Sunita Singh, Shivani Anand, Bhagwati, Fauzia Mugal, Jagdeep Dubely, Namrata. Yogita Yadav and Aarushi Thakur,
The Jammu Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages sponsored the Folk performances of Jammu and Kashmir as the festival aimed at celebrating creativity at its manifestation. Various schools, colleges and University of Jammu participated in the fest enthusiastically. Significant event in the fest included Dramatic Performance, Literary quiz and also Story-telling and Students’ Creativity.
The first prized in the Play was bagged by MIER College, Jammu; and SMVD University and GDC Udhampur were felicitated with the second and third prize. In quiz competition, GMC Jammu got the first prize; GDC Udhampur and SMVD University got the second prize, whereas the University of Jammu was felicitated with the third prize. In Story telling competition, Matngi Sharma of Jodhamal Public School bagged the first prize; Suhani Sharma of Jodhamal Public School and Parul Sharma, DPS Katra got the second and third prize. In Students’ Creativity session, Arjun Hans, University of Jammu bagged the first prize whereas Emu Sharma, MIER College and Chirdeep Malhotra, GMC Jammu were felicitated with the second and the third prize.
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