Srinagar, July 16: The third edition of the Chinar Book Festival will be held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC), Srinagar, from July 18 to 26, bringing together readers, writers, publishers, artists and intellectuals from across the country for a nine-day celebration of literature, culture and ideas.

Organised by the National Book Trust (NBT), India, under the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the District Administration Srinagar and the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL), the festival will feature over 200 publishers and book stalls showcasing books in English, Urdu, Kashmiri, Hindi and several other Indian languages.

The festival will be inaugurated by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on July 18 in the presence of senior officials from the education departments, NBT and NCPUL.

Ahead of the event, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Akshay Labroo flagged off a unique 'Shikarathon' on Dal Lake to promote reading culture. The festival's tagline, "Together We Read, Together We Lead" (Mil Kar Padhenge, Mil Kar Badhenge), was also unveiled.

Inviting people to participate, Labroo described the festival as more than a book fair, saying it would provide young people an opportunity to interact with eminent authors, artists, scientists and public figures from across the country.

NBT Director Yuvraj Malik said the festival has been envisioned as the region's largest literary and cultural event, featuring more than 800 artists, authors, performers and scholars over nine days.

Chief Convener Dr Amit Wanchoo said students from across Jammu and Kashmir would participate in literary interactions, while an Innovators' Meet would showcase research, start-ups and patented innovations from SKUAST-K, IUST and the University of Kashmir.

NCPUL Director Dr Shams Equbal said the festival would include dedicated Urdu literary sessions and Mushairas, encouraging young readers to engage with the language and its literary heritage.

A major highlight will be the release of 24 bilingual Gojri books, developed through the first-ever Gojri Translation Workshop held during the 2025 edition of the festival. The event will also witness the launch of the first novels under the Rajtarangini Samvad initiative, inspired by Kalhana's Rajtarangini, along with several other important publications.

The festival will host author interactions, literary discussions, book launches, workshops, storytelling sessions, children's activities, Mushairas, Sufiyana performances and cultural evenings. Themes will include journalism, multilingual education, Kashmiriyat, women's leadership, public policy, environmental sustainability, cinema and youth empowerment.

A dedicated Children's Corner and access to the Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya digital library will encourage reading among young learners. A new attraction this year is the 5K Reading Run, organised as part of Shiksha Saptah 2026, promoting reading alongside fitness and lifelong learning.

The organisers have invited readers, students, educators and families from across Jammu and Kashmir to participate in the festival and celebrate the shared joy of books, knowledge and culture.