The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK), under the joint aegis of Rajbhasha Prakoshtha (Hindi Cell), Shivani Centre for the Nurture and Re-Integration of Hindi and Other Indian Languages, and Hindi Sahitya Sabha, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Government of Uttar Pradesh, and the renowned audio platform Gaatha, organized the literature festival ‘Gaatha Mahotsav 2024’ at IIT Kanpur’s Outreach Auditorium to mark the successful completion of five years of Gaatha and to celebrate literature in its various forms.
The event was inaugurated by Prof. Braj Bhushan, Deputy Director of IIT Kanpur, Prof. Amitabha Bandyopadhyay in presence of Co-Professor In-Charge of SIIC, Prof. Shalabh, Dean of Academic Affairs; Prof. Bushra Ateeq, Dean of International Relations; Prof. Ark Verma of the Rajbhasha Prakoshtha (Hindi Cell), Pooja Srivastava, Co-founder and Director of Gaatha, and Dr. Bhavana Tiwari, Director of the Kavita Prakoshth.
Prof. Braj Bhushan, Deputy Director of IIT Kanpur, emphasized Gaatha’s remarkable role in promoting Hindi literature. He observed that Gaatha’s expanding user base is fostering a renewed appreciation for poetry among the public. The event also included an enchanting performance by students from Jyoti Badhir Vidyalaya, who captivated the audience with a Ganesh Vandana and a dance drama.
The highlight of the event was the launch of Sanjay Shepherd’s book, “Ek Siyah Firdaus,” by the distinguished guests present on stage, followed by honoring Jyoti Badhir Vidyalaya and Kanpur Ploggers for their outstanding social contributions.
Following this, the first session, moderated by Dr. Pradeep Dixit, featured a comprehensive discussion on the tourism sites of Uttar Pradesh. Renowned writer and travel blogger Sanjay Shepherd, along with Dr. M.K. Pandey from Delhi University, delved into the interests and future prospects of tourism in the state.
Then there was a detailed discussion on the Hindi poetic genre ‘Navgeet’ featuring Mr. Ram Sanehi Lal Sharma, Mr. Virendra Astik and Mr. Raja Awasthi, who discussed the nuances and differences between geet and navgeet. Another session saw eminent young writers Bhagwant Anmol and Aakanksha Pare discussing the opportunities in literature for new writers and youth.
During the poetry recitation, Yogesh Shukla from Lucknow read a poignant verse: ” घेरे हों जिंदगी में अगर मुश्किलें तमाम सुबहो शाम, तो टकराओं मुश्किलों से लेके राम जी का नाम सुबहो शाम.” Dr. Alok Bejan recited: “जमीदंरी को गुजरे एक अरसा हो गया कब का मगर जिल्ले इलाही ने हवेली पाल रखी है।” Hemant Pandey entertained everyone with his humorous poems, while the entire auditorium applauded the ghazals of Rahul Sharma from Moradabad. Ajay Anjaam shared a powerful line: “ठंड की इमदाद पाली जा रही है जून में खेत को पानी मिला है फसल मुरझाने के बाद।”
