Hyderabad Lit Fest to discuss on 'India, that is Bharat'

, Jan 17: In recent times, India hugely debated on "India" versus "Bharat" issue in the wake of controversial comment on Delhi gangrape by RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat. Those who are interested in knowing more about the difference between "India" and "Bharat" can head to Hyderabad

.

The popular literary festival is all set to host a panel discussion on "India, that is Bharat".

After the successful launch of "Beautiful Country: Stories From Another India," co-authored with Planning Commission member Syeda Hameed, CEO INDIAReads.com, author Gunjan Veda will be at the Hyderabad Literature Festival on Jan 20 between 2-3 pm.

Veda will participate in a panel discussion on "India, that is Bharat" with eminent panelists like Dilip D' Souza, Aarthi Ramachandran and Aparna Rayaprol.

Veda will bring to the panel her insightful views about the country gleaned through her extensive travels. As Officer on Special Duty with the Planning Commission, she travelled from the scattered habitations of Ladakh to the seething Valley of Manipur, from the closed tea estates of Jalpaiguri to the crowded by lanes of Varanasi chronicling the lesser know stories of ordinary Indians.

Her book Beautiful Country is a compendium of these experiences and compels readers to experience the misery and triumph, failures and innovations of India that remains hidden in the age of 24x7 media channels and Wikipedia.

Started in 2010, Hyderabad Literary Festival (HFL) celebrates creativity in all forms and draws more than 100 writers, scholars and publishers from India and abroad. Every year, HFL invite a foreign country to showcase their literature and this time it's France. "It is an honour to be a part of this cultural event which brings together writers from different languages, cultures and even nationalities. Besides enriching Indian literature, it also provides authors an opportunity to interact with their audience," said Veda.

Such interactions, believes Veda, provide valuable feedback to the authors and go a long way in reviving reading habits amongst the youth. "In a world where everyone is accessible with the click of a mouse, there is a need to bring readers and authors closer. And this is precisely what Lit Fests do," she explained. In keeping with her belief, her organisation, INDIAreads.com organises Literary fests across campuses in the country.

OneIndia News