Lucknow: The fifth edition of the Gomti Book Festival will begin at Lucknow University on September 12 and continue till September 20. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will inaugurate the nine-day event.
The festival is being organised by the National Book Trust (NBT), India, in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh government and Lucknow University.
Book festival preparations underway
Around 250 book stalls will be set up, with 121 publishers participating. Books in Hindi, English, Urdu, Awadhi and other Indian languages will be available at the venue.
NBT Director Yuvraj Malik said on Friday that the festival would include literary discussions, book-related activities and cultural programmes. He said young writers, authors, intellectuals and artists would also participate.
Entry to the festival will be free.
Literary and cultural sessions planned
The literary sessions will cover subjects including women's identity, youth literature, sustainable development, translation, heritage and folk traditions, space and science, spirituality and contemporary journalism.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, folk singer Malini Awasthi, author Shantanu Gupta and Padma Shri awardee Vidya Vindu Singh are among those scheduled to participate.
Children’s section and activities
A separate children's section, Bal Mandap, will be organised by the National Centre for Children's Literature, the children's literature division of NBT.
Activities planned for children include puppet shows, storytelling, Kamishibai, Vedic mathematics, mindfulness workshops, clay art, poster-making, calligraphy, poetry recitation, mandala art and creative writing. Painting and quiz competitions will also be held.
Children will also have an opportunity to interact with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla.
Evening programmes and digital library
Cultural programmes will be held in the evenings, including Kathak performances, folk performances, theatre, music and mushaira. The Birju Maharaj Kathak Sansthan will present the dance-drama "Raghuvamsham", while Bharatendu Natya Akademi will stage a theatre presentation. A Dastangoi session on Begum Akhtar is also scheduled.
The festival will also provide information about the National e-Library, which has more than 7,000 e-books in different languages and genres.
Focus on reading and technology
At a press conference on Friday, Lucknow University professor and librarian Roli Mishra said the university was collaborating with NBT to encourage reading among students.
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Senior coordinator of the organising committee Chandra Prakash said the festival would also address the growing reliance on artificial intelligence and online sources for information. He said information available online was not always verified and authenticated.
The inaugural function will be attended by Lucknow University Vice-Chancellor Jai Prakash Saini, NBT Chairman Milind Sudhakar Marathe, Minister of State for Basic Education Sandeep Singh, Higher Education Minister Yogendra Upadhyay, Minister of State for Secondary Education Gulab Devi and senior officials.
