'Literature and Democracy' focus at Kalinga lit fest

Bhubaneswar, June 15 The Kalinga Literary Festival (KLF) is back here, this time with the theme of "Literature and democracy" to discuss several dimensions of the inter-connections between the two.

"The third edition of KLF on June 18 and 19, will have speakers from all over the country," festival founder Rashmi Ranjan Parida told IANS.

"Last year around 60 speakers from the world of literature, cinema, media and politics participated, the number has reached to 110 this year," he said.

"Bigger than ever before, it will bring nationally and internationally acclaimed names to one platform to discuss, debate and explore commonalities," he added.

The festival will be inaugurated by Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma, Singer Babul Supriyo, Odisha Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra and BJP MP Subramanian Swamy will be among those attending the inaugural function.

This year's starry line-up includes Amiya Bhusan Tripathi, Arif Mohd. Khan, Arun Rath, Arundhati Subramaniam, Baishnab Parida, Bibhuti Pattnaik, Debi Prasanna Pattanayak, Dinanath Pathy, Gourhari Das, Haldhar Nag, Haraprasad Dash, Jayanta Mohapatra, Mani Shankar Aiyar, Mridula Garg , Mrinal Chaterjee, Piyush Mishra, Pooja Bhatt, Pratibha Ray, Purushottam Agrawal, Rahul Pandita, Ramakanta Rath, Seema Biswas, Sitakanta Mohapatra, T.K Chand, Vineet Kumar and Yash Patnaik.

"The key sessions will be on topics like dialogue, development and democratic spirit in literature, a literary journey of Kalinga, governance in Odia language, youth, women, media, sports, folk and regional literature and the like. Fifteen new books will be launched during the festival," said Parida.

"KLF promises an aesthetically and intellectually illuminating Kalinga Literary Festival which will be an eclectic mix of celebrity authors, thinkers, cine-world luminaries blended with inspirational debate which will nourish creativity and thinking," he added.

IANS