Literary festival kicks off at Punjabi University, Patiala
Patiala, January 30
The 10th Book Fair and Literary Festival of Punjabi University commenced today attracting a number of book enthusiasts, scholars of Punjabi literature and culture, researchers and intellectuals.
Prof Navjot Kaur, Registrar; and Prof Gurmukh Singh, Head of the Punjabi Department, outlined the schedule of the book fair and literary festival. More than 100 publishers are participating in the fair and various academic sessions and discussions will take place in the coming days, she said.
The inaugural session was addressed by Gurmeet Singh Khudian, Minister of Agriculture. He emphasised the importance of preserving and promoting the Punjabi language and literature. He also announced a contribution of Rs 3 lakh from his discretionary fund to the event.
Dr Dhanvant Kaur, a renowned critic and thinker, highlighted the university’s consistent efforts towards the development of the Punjabi language, literature and human consciousness.
Dr Surjit Patar, a prominent Punjabi poet, was also present. He expressed his love for the rich vocabulary and expressions in the Punjabi language.
To conclude the inaugural session, Vice-Chancellor Arvind emphasised the need for continuous efforts to enrich the Punjabi language. He stressed the importance of leveraging new technologies for language development. He thanked the Punjab Government for supporting Punjabi University in its endeavours.
The subsequent literary festival sessions focused on “Narrative Techniques: Exploring the Depths of Storytelling”, where renowned storytellers Jasbir Mand and Surinder Neer engaged in a dialogue moderated by Dr Jaspreet Kaur Bains.
