Kalinga Literary Festival to be held

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Aug. 21: The second edition of Kalinga Literary Festival is scheduled to be held from September 1 to 3 in Kathmandu.

Organised jointly by Yashaswi Pragya Pratisthan, Nepal and Kalinga Literary Festival (KLF) of India, this global event is set to host writers from countries including Nepal, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. 

Issuing a press release, the organiser informed that they anticipated the participation of over 300 writers from various nations.

The festival’s agenda includes lively debates and discussions on contemporary issues like South Asian art, literature, cinema, music, dance, journalism, poetry, tourism, and politics. 

Renowned personalities from India like Haldhar Nag, Sudarsan Pattnaik, Nila Madhab Panda, and Aruna Mohanty are among the slated participants.

Other notable attendees include actress-writer duo Divya Dutt and Deepti Naval, singer Abhilipsa Panda, and Nepali actress Manisha Koirala.

The event will also feature international speakers like Rinzin Rinzin from Bhutan, Chamal Sanjeewa from Sri Lanka, and Ashraf Jewel from Bangladesh.

A host of other prominent figures, including Surakshya Panta, Amar Neupane, Manisha Gauchan, Chiribabu Maharjan and many more, will engage the audience in various festival segments. 

It is also said that 12 successful book awards will be given to 12 authors in 12 categories from this edition of the festival.

The festival's primary goal is to bolster civilizational, cultural, and spiritual discourse and highlight the literary richness of the South Asian region.

Rashmi Ranjan Parida, founder and director of KLF, expressed the belief that the festival would give recognition to Nepal at the global level by establishing it as a central platform for South Asian dialogue.

“In the second edition, just as in the first, we have incorporated an exploration of Nepal’s rich literary, cultural, and spiritual heritage, underscoring Nepal’s significance as a nexus of global thought,” said Ranjana Niraula, director of Kathmandu KLF and founder of Yashaswi Pragya Pratisthan.