The first edition of Chinar Book Festival, which concluded on August 25, 2024, proved to be a resounding success, attracting over 125,000 readers during its nine-day run at the SKICC.
Speaking on the last day of Chinar Book Festival, Dr Bilal M Bhat, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar congratulated people of Srinagar for celebrating the festival of books, especially children and youth who attend e workshops in creative writing, mathematics, artificial intelligence, book publishing, etc. Speaking about the event he said that Chinar Book Festival is now a calendar event and the city will see more writers, authors, poets, and performers next year.
Yuvraj Malik, Director, National Book Trust, India, expressed gratitude to the people of Kashmir for their overwhelming support. He shared, "The Chinar Book Festival evolved into a vibrant celebration of art, culture, and literature, drawing in students, families, and book enthusiasts from across the region. We are thrilled with the remarkable response and take pride in our mission to make books accessible to every reader in Kashmir."
The festival featured over 100 creative, literary, and cultural events, receiving strong backing from publishers and marking a new chapter in the country's literary landscape. Eminent figures from various fields, including writers, scholars, bureaucrats, academicians, artists, filmmakers, professors, and experts, graced the event, underscoring its significance as a key gathering in the literary calendar.
On the last day of the festival, a symposium on career guidance was organized with a focus on opportunities in Civil Services. The day also featured discussions on the rich heritage of Jammu and Kashmir in performing arts, with contributions from Sunanda Sharma, Krishan Langoo, and Pandit Abhay Rustam Sopori.
During the festival, the highlight was the participation of thousands of girls who enjoyed selfies, books, and enthusiastically participated in workshops on Science, Math, Arts, and Technology. Workshops on emotional intelligence, empathy, and the art of speaking were a hit among youth. The Digital Reading Zone, set up by the Rashtriya E Pustakalay Project team of the Department of School Education & Literacy, and a photo exhibition by the Indian Council of Historical Research on Jammu, Kashmir &Ladakh through the ages: A Visual Narrative of Continuity and Linkages, was a center of attraction for the visitors.
Giving priority to the local languages, multiple storytelling sessions and book release functions were organized in Kashmiri and Dogri. Visitors also interacted with renowned personalities such as Kashmiri folk singer Wahid Jilani and Dogri language writer Shivdev Singh.
Mahfil-e-Afsana sessions organized by the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language hosted notable Urdu writers Deepak Tanwal, Dr. Mushtaq Mehdi, and Dr. Nazir, and Kashmiri child litterateur Akhtar Hussain.
At the literary stage of the book festival, Chinar Talks visitors also got a chance to meet and talk to the famous artists Veer Munshi, Ashwath Bhatt, Mir Sarwar, Hussain Khan, Chandra Prakash Dwivedi, Vishal Bhardwaj, Sahitya Akademi Awardee Dr. Ashraf Zia, Rajesh Vyas and academicians S.N. Pandita, Mushtaq Bashir Burke, who discussed on literary traditions and opportunities for Kashmir in Literature and Performing arta, also the need to conserve and promote the local Art forms.
The performance by Kabir café, musical band was a fitting tribute to the last day of the book festival after lively performances by Vishal & Rekha Bhardwaj, Rahgir and other renowned artists, on Saturday.