Delhi Literature Festival's 11th edition is more than just writers and publishers

SUPRIYA RAMESH

While few make books their best friends, few relate to the stories as their own. For one to easily unfurl his or her love for books and incredible stories, literature festivals are a great place to be.

The three-day Delhi Literature Festival is back with a bang dedicated to India's Presidency at the G20.

At the inaugural ceremony on Friday, the 11th edition kickstarted with Union Cabinet Minister of Labour and Employment, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav setting the stage with positivity and shayaris.

While he congratulated the organisers for curating the event and giving an opportunity to meet over books year after year, he said: "An informed mind is by nature an efficient mind. It is a positive mind and hence a more productive mind."

"Over centuries while Delhi has remained a site for geographical conquests, it has also morphed itself into a muse for poets and warriors alike," he added.

As he swiftly shared shayaris in between, Yadav made sure to highlight the importance of literature festivals.

He said: "Literature festivals are not just about writers and publishers trying to promote books. These are events that promote an educational and cultural exchange, which plays a crucial role in building healthy societies that believe in a culture of debates and discussions."

All those who read and, of course, love reading books, have at least one book very close to their heart. And just like we fall in love with people and places, we fall in love with books and book stores, so much so that some book places have become important sites of cultural and personal memory for the city over time.

"Delhi, on its part, is home to many book stores - including some of the oldest in the country - which, even in an era of e-books and short attention spans, have kept alive a reading culture. You have Amrit Book Company in Connaught Place, you have Bahrisons in Khan Market. And then you have Daryaganj, which is the most sought after destination in the city for book lovers," Yadav rejoiced.

The festival that is taking place in the heart of the national capital, at the India Habitat Centre (IHC Amphitheater) and DLF Avenue, Saket will see many eminent personalities like historian William Dalrymple, filmmaker and designer Muzaffar Ali, singer, Padmashri Awardee and Member of Parliament Hans Raj Hans, writer Anand Ranganathan, Samantha Kochhar, and more

At the ceremony, Yadav felicitated publishers and authors. Ajay Mago of Om Books, Ajay Jain of Kunzum, Milee Ashwarya of Penguin India and others were felicitated with the Delhi Literature Festival Awards '23.

The sessions on March 18 and 19 will be held between 2:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the DLF Avenue, Saket, New Delhi.

The Delhi Literature Festival started in the year 2013 with the then Delhi CM Shiela Dikshit inaugurating it 11 years ago.