Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati, Assam, will host the Pragjyotishpur Literature Festival 2024, a spectacular literature and culture festival, from December 13 to 15. Prominent author Taren Boro, head of the organising committee and secretary Vikram Kalita, said that the event, which The Sankardev Education and Research Trust are organizing, offers an intriguing lineup of activities.
A wide range of activities will occur during the festival’s opening session on December 13 from 10:30 AM to 12:15 PM. Dr Malini Goswami, former vice-chancellor of Assam Women’s University, will be the chief guest after retired Lt. Gen. Rana Pratap Kalita, President of the Trust, gives a welcoming address. ‘Thuglak’ Editor and eminent writer Swaminathan Gurumurthy will give the keynote lecture.
Two lectures on “Constitution and Culture” by Supreme Court lawyer and author J. Sai Deepak, hosted by Professor Yogesh Kakati, Registrar of Pragjyotishpur University, are among the highlights of day one. PLF Vice President Nayan Bhattacharya will host renowned economist and historian Sanjeev Sanyal for a talk from 2:15 to 3:15. “From Treadmills to Travellers: India Towards 2047” is the topic of the talk by the famous author Dr. Anand Ranganathan from 3:30 to 4:30 PM. Sangeet Natak Akademi Yuva Puraskar winner Dr Kuldeep Patgiri will conduct a mime performance, musical acts Babita Sharma, Kallol Borthakur, and Sarat Raage, and a Tokari recital by Hirok Jyoti Sarma will round out the day’s cultural events.
Padma Shri Arup Kumar Dutta will lead a discussion on “The Role of the Brahmaputra River in Assam’s Diverse Society” on day two, with Professor Prasanta Boro and engineer-researcher Pradeep Bhuyan joining him. Prasantajyoti Barua, Executive Editor of The Assam Tribune, will host a panel discussion on “The Changing News Sector: Reliability and Relevance”. Journalists Rupam Barua, Pranjit Saikia, Paragmani Aditya, and Nandan Pratim Sharma Bordoloi will share their perspectives.
Renowned playwright Atanu Bhattacharya will lead a workshop on “Creative Literature: Storytelling Skills” on Day 3 from 10:30 AM to 11:45 AM. Naturalist Soumyadeep Dutta will lead a workshop on “Assam’s Natural Heritage Conservation”, and Asoke Deb, Dr Bumpy Ribai, Gankhu Sumanyan, and Dilip Mayengbam will participate in a panel discussion on “Exploring Regional Literature and Culture: The Voice of North-East India”. Poet Ratneshwar Basumatary will host a multilingual poets’ conference to honour poetry in Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Nepali, Mishing, and Karbi, among other languages.
Another highlight is a conversation on “Entertainment” with senior director Atul Gangwar, actor Kapil Bora, and artists Dabang Taeng and Samrat Bora, presented by poet and film critic Aparajita Pujari. Dr Amarjyoti Chaudhary, Dr Gajendra Adhikari, and Dr Samudragupta Kashyap, the chancellor of Nagaland University, will preside over the Pragjyotishpur Sahitya Puraskar 2024 event, which will mark the festival’s conclusion.
