Literature has always played a decisive role in the foundation of nation building: Chief Minister Shri Sai
Literature is the most powerful medium for awakening hope, courage, and social consciousness: Deputy Chairman Shri Harivansh
Grand inauguration of Raipur Literature Festival 2026: 120 litterateurs from across the country to deliberate in 42 sessions
Raipur, January 23, 2026/The grand inauguration of Raipur Literature Festival 2026 took place today at the Purkhauti Muktangan complex in Nava Raipur, the capital city. The inaugural ceremony was presided over by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Shri Harivansh as the chief guest and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai. The ceremony was organized in the Vinod Kumar Shukla Mandap, with Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao, Vice Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University, Wardha, Dr. Kumud Sharma, and renowned theater personality and actor Manoj Joshi as distinguished guests. On this occasion, Chief Minister’s Media Advisor Shri Pankaj Jha, senior journalist Anant Vijay, and Chairman of Chhattisgarh Sahitya Akademi, Shashank Sharma, along with many other dignitaries, were present.
During the inaugural ceremony, the guests released a booklet on the completion of 25 years of Chhattisgarh state, a coffee table book titled ‘Litterateurs of Chhattisgarh State’, the book ‘National Selfhood in Science’ written by J. Nandkumar, Prof. Anshu Joshi’s book ‘Lal Deewaren, Safed Jhooth’, and Rajiv Ranjan Prasad’s book ‘Tera Raj Nahi Ayega Re’.
Deputy Chairman Shri Harivansh began his address by paying homage to the great litterateur of Chhattisgarh, the late Vinod Kumar Shukla. He said that Chhattisgarhi literature has a rich and ancient tradition, and this region has always preserved its local culture strongly. A very creative approach is clearly visible in the organization of the Raipur Literature Festival. Mentioning Kabir’s deep connection with Kashi, he stated that Kabir also had a special connection with Kawardha in Chhattisgarh. Deputy Chairman Shri Harivansh said that even a single book and a single author have the power to change the world. Recalling the lines of the national poet Maithilisharan Gupt, he said that literature guides society, awakens hope, lifts despair, and provides the courage to live life.
Deputy Chairman Shri Harivansh stated that today India is the world’s fastest-growing economy, and the resolve for a developed India by 2047 is our national goal. He said that India is currently playing a leading role in the fields of steel, rice production, and startups. India’s self-reliance has given a new direction to the world, and literature has played a powerful role behind this national strength.
In his address, Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai said that Chhattisgarh is the maternal home of Lord Shri Ram, and it is a matter of pride for all of us that the three-day Raipur Literature Festival has been inaugurated on this holy land. Welcoming the litterateurs and literature enthusiasts from across the country, he said that Raipur Literature Festival 2026 is a great confluence of literature, in which more than 120 renowned litterateurs from various states of the region and the country are participating. During the event, a total of 42 sessions will feature in-depth discussions on contemporary social, cultural, and political issues. This is the Amrit Kaal of the Republic and the Silver Jubilee year of Chhattisgarh state, and the festival has been organized in line with this spirit.
Comparing the freedom struggle to the churning of the ocean, the Chief Minister said that just as both poison and nectar emerged from the churning of the ocean, similarly, in the freedom movement, our fighters endured suffering in the form of poison themselves to provide the nectar of freedom to future generations. He said that many of our freedom fighters were also writers, journalists, and lawyers. Compositions like ‘Pushp Ki Abhilasha’, written by Makhanlal Chaturvedi in Bilaspur jail, inspired countrymen. Madhavrao Sapre’s story ‘Ek Tokri Bhar Mitti’ is considered the first story in Hindi.
Recalling litterateurs like Pandit Lochan Prasad Pandey, Padumlal Punnalal Bakshi, and Gajanan Madhav Muktibodh, the Chief Minister said that preserving their memories is our cultural responsibility. The construction of the Triveni Museum in Rajnandgaon is a symbol of this sentiment.
The Chief Minister said that the pavilions of the Raipur Literature Festival have been dedicated to great litterateurs like Vinod Kumar Shukla, Shyamlal Chaturvedi, Lala Jagdalpuri, and Aniruddh Neerav, who have given a new identity to the culture and literature of Chhattisgarh. He said that poetry teaches resistance against injustice, and this is the true power of literature.
Recalling the poetry recitation program organized in memory of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Chief Minister said that Atal ji was a poet at heart, and his poems inspired millions. Lines like “I will not give up…” still provide strength to the masses.
Highlighting the role of litterateurs during the Emergency, the Chief Minister recalled the famous lines of Dushyant Kumar and said that today, as a large number of young literature enthusiasts are participating in this festival, it is clear that the literary atmosphere in the state is bright and strong. He expressed confidence that this three-day event will prove to be a milestone. On this occasion, he also paid homage to the late Surendra Dubey.
Deputy Chief Minister Shri Arun Sao, describing this festival organized on the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami as a great confluence of literature, said that the land of Chhattisgarh has given many great exponents to Hindi literature. Dr. Kumud Sharma said that the resolve for an self-reliant India and Swadeshi in the Amrit Kaal is the foundation of our bright future. She described literature as a powerful medium of self-realization and cultural consciousness and called India the mint of human culture.
After the event, guests and litterateurs participated in various sessions and shared their thoughts on contemporary literature, culture, democracy, and society. A large number of literature lovers were present during the program, and active participation, especially from the youth, was observed. This inauguration of Raipur Literature Festival 2026 is proving to be a significant step towards literary dialogue, exchange of ideas, and the expansion of cultural consciousness.