This year’s 98th All India Marathi Literature Conference will be held from Friday, February 21 at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Sahitya Nagari set up at Tal Katora Stadium in New Delhi. Various programmes like Kavi Sammelan, interviews, seminars, discussions have been organised in this conference from 21st to 23rd February, informed Sanjay Nahar, head of Sarhad Sanstha, the organiser of the 98th All India Literature Conference, at a press conference held at Maharashtra Sadan.
The 98th Sahitya Sammelan is being held at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Sahitya Nagri in Tal Katora Stadium. The conference will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The main inauguration ceremony to be held at Vijnan Bhavan at 3:30 pm will be attended by Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis, Sahitya Sammelan President Dr. Tara Bhawalkar and Welcoming President स्वागत अध्यक्ष Sharad Pawar. A large number of writers from the state will attend this literary event.
The second session of the inauguration will be held at 6.30 pm and the programme will be chaired by former Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde. Marathi Language Minister Uday Samant and Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar will be present. Outgoing conference president मावळते संमेलनाध्यक्ष Dr. Ravindra Shobhne will deliver the presiding speech, while conference president Dr. Tara Bhawalkar will deliver the presidential speech.
Earlier in the morning, a book drive will be taken out and the flag hoisting will take place. The book drive will be started by Prof. Usha Tambe, President of Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal, and National Book Trust Chairman Milind Marathe, outgoing conference president मावळते संमेलनाध्यक्ष Dr. Ravindra Shobhne, and state cultural secretary Vikas Kharge will be the chief guests on this occasion. Literary people, literature lovers, and Marathi people, and various art groups will participate in this drive.
A Kavi Sammelan will be held on the final session in the evening of first day. Selected renowned poets from Maharashtra and Delhi will participate.
Names of the pavilions
In Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Sahitya Nagri, there are pavilions named after great men like Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, Yashwantrao Chavan, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, and the entrance is named after Devi Ahilyabai Holkar.
There will be a large number of publishers’ stalls at the conference venue, as well as a ‘Sant Mahapati’ forum where books of aspiring writers will be published. Shri Nahar informed that literary circles from outside the country will also come to this literary conference.
On Saturday the February 22, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Sabha Mandap will host an interview with dignitaries on the topic of ‘Marathi Paaul Padate Pudhe’, ‘Manmokala Samvad Marathicha Amarathi Sansar’, a special felicitation session, ‘Folk Literature from Bhupali to Bhairavi’, ‘Reflections of Politics in Marathi Literature’ and a cultural programme ‘Madhurav’ in the evening.
On the same day, there are seminars on topics like ‘Multilingual Poets Conference’, ‘Life and Literature of Marathi People of Greater Maharashtra’, ‘Marathi Language and Maharashtra Dharma’ at Yashwantrao Chavan Sabha Mandap. Meanwhile, a poet’s corner has been organised at Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Sabha Mandap.
On the last day, Sunday, February 23, there will be an interview on the topic ‘Ase ghadalo amhi’ at Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Sabha Mandap, ‘Social work and Marathi literature, ‘Relations with Delhi and Marathi’ etc. There will be seminars on the topics ‘Translation from Marathi to other languages or from other languages to Marathi’, ‘Artificial Intelligence and Creativity’ at Yashwantrao Chavan Sabha Mandap. In the evening, there will be an Open session followed by closing ceremony.
Special train for literary conference
A special train will arrive from Pune to Delhi on February 19. A literary conference will also be held in this train. This special train has been named Mahadji Shinde Express. Also, each train coach has been named after forts. The State’s Marathi Language Minister Uday Samant will be the Chairman of the literary conference to be held in this train.
