Lok Sabha Question No. 4215 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-27
Subject: Salient Features of Sahityotsav
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Ram Kripal Yadav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4215 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.03.2023 SALIENT FEATURES OF SAHITYOTSAV

## 4215. SHRI RAM KRIPAL YADAV:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has recently organized a literature festival 'Sahityotsav';
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the events organised in the said festival;
- (c) the salient features of the 'Sahityotsav' festival and the status of participation by various States;
- (d) the measures taken by the Government for encouraging participation in the literary field; and
- (e) whether such literary festivals are being organised on a regular basis in the country and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF CULTURE, TOURISM & DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION (SHRI G.KISHAN REDDY)

- (a) Yes sir. Literature  festival  'Sahityotsav'  was  organized  by  the  Sahitya  Akademi, an autonomous body working under M/o Culture.
- (b) The festival  was  organized  from  11  March  to  16  March  2023  at  Rabindra  Bhawan,  Firozeshah Road in New Delhi. The list of events organized in the said festival is annexed as annexure-I.
- (c) The salient features of the festival are as follows:
-  The theme of the festival was Indian Literature and Unity of Culture
-  More than 40 programmes were held
-  More than 400 writers,  critics,  poets,  translators,  publishers,  diplomats,  media  personalities and eminent personalities from various walks of life participated.
-  5-member Kazakh delegation participated in the festival under Indo-Kazak Cultural Exchange Programme
-  All the 24 Indian languages recognized by Sahitya Akademi were represented in the festival apart from the oral and tribal languages of India.
- (d) For  encouraging  participation  in  the  literary  field,  the  Government  regularly  organizes  literary meets, zonal, national and international literature festivals, publish literary books, organize/participate in the book fairs and also accords awards to senior writers, young writers, translators, writers of children's books etc.
- (e) Yes  sir, since  1985,  Sahityotsav  is  organized annually  by  Sahitya  Akademi.  In  addition, Government  organizes  literature  festivals  throughout  the  country  at  different  occasions.  For instance,  in  2022,  Unmesha,  International  Literature  Festival,  as  a  part  of  'Azadi  ka  Amrit Mahotsav', was held in Shimla where more than 400 national and international writers/literature experts had participated.

*****

The events organized in the 'Sahityotsav' Festival, 2023 are as under:

-  Sahitya Akademi Awards Presentation
-  Bhasha  Samman  Presentation  in  the  field  of  Classical  and  Medieval  Literature  and unrecognized languages
-  Yuva Sahiti: Rise of Young India
-  Multilingual Poets' Meet
-  Asmita
-  North East and Southern Writers' Meet
-  Multilingual Short Story Readings
-  Awardees' Meet, where the award winners shared their experiences as a writer
-  Panel Discussion on Diplomacy and Literature
-  People and Books with Sri Sunil Kant Munjal
-  Samvatsar Lecture by Justice Sri Dipak Misra, former Chief Justice of India
-  North Eastern and Northern Writers' Meet
-  Face to Face
-  Panel Discussion on Art of Translation



Panel Discussion on World of Letters and My Art

-  Panel Discussion on Education and Creativity
-  Tribal Writers' Meet
-  All India Poets' Meet on the theme of 'One Earth. One Family. One Future'
-  Panel Discussion on Playwriting
-  LGBTQ Writers' Meet
-  Nari Chetna
-  Meet the Author with Usha Kiran Khan
-  3-day National Seminar on Memories of Epics, Indian Independence Movement and Nation Building
-  Panel Discussion on Media and Literature
-  North Eastern and Western Writers' Meet
-  Kathasandhi with Abdul Samad
-  Panel Discussion on Digital Publishing
-  Panel Discussion on Cinema and Literature
-  Panel Discussion on Epics of Tribal Communities of India
-  Indo-Kazakh Writers' Meet
-  Spin a Tale (Story Writing Competition, Poetry Writing Competition and Drawing Competition for children)
-  Panel Discussion on Indian Literature Abroad
-  Panel Discussion on Literature and Women Empowerment

## ANNEXURE-I