Srinagar: The third edition of the Chinar Book Festival concluded at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) on Sunday after attracting record footfall over nine days, with organisers claiming daily attendance of 57,000 to 73,000 visitors on weekdays and around one lakh on weekends.
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 brought together more than 200 publishers, over 800 authors and artists, and thousands of students, readers and families.
The festival, themed “Together We Read, Together We Lead”, was inaugurated on July 18 by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who encouraged young people to cultivate regular reading and writing habits. During the inaugural session, 24 bilingual Gojri titles, five novels under the Rajtarangini Samvad initiative and the Urdu translation of Jammu Kashmir & Ladakh Through the Ages were released.
Among the major attractions were interactive sessions with astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, actor Rakesh Bedi and filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, along with discussions on literature, journalism, theatre, culture, tourism and the preservation of Kashmir’s linguistic and literary heritage.
The festival also hosted an Innovators’ Meet featuring students from Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Kashmir (SKUAST-K), Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) and the University of Kashmir, who showcased research projects, patents and start-ups. Separate sessions highlighted the contributions of women entrepreneurs, journalists and civil servants.
A highlight of the festival was a 5-km Reading Marathon along the banks of Dal Lake, in which organisers said 4,644 students participated. The event was recognised by the Asia Book of Records and the India Book of Records for the highest participation in a marathon promoting reading and environmental awareness.
The Children’s Corner remained a major attraction throughout the festival, hosting storytelling sessions, puppet shows, calligraphy and craft workshops, and demonstrations of the Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya digital library. Evening programmes featured Rouf dance, Sufiyana performances, Mushairas and folk theatre.
The concluding day also featured Markar Jeena, a play by playwright Rakesh Roshan Bhatt commemorating the valour of Indian soldiers on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas.
NBT Chairman Prof Milind Sudhakar Marathe said the festival reflected the objectives of the National Education Policy 2020 by encouraging learning beyond classrooms, while NBT Director Yuvraj Malik said the event had contributed to promoting literary tourism in Kashmir.
Chief Convenor Amit Wanchoo said the response from readers and students across Jammu and Kashmir had exceeded expectations, with large participation in literary discussions, cultural events and workshops throughout the festival.
