SRINAGAR, July 18: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday said the Chinar Book Festival has evolved into a vibrant intellectual movement that is helping transform Jammu and Kashmir into a hub of knowledge, culture and creativity, while urging young people to cultivate the habit of reading and writing.
Addressing the third edition of the Chinar Book Festival in Srinagar, the Lieutenant Governor congratulated the National Book Trust and the organisers for successfully creating a platform that brings together readers, writers and thinkers.
“This festival is more than just an event. It is a movement to build a vibrant community of readers, writers, and thinkers. Our goal is to transform Jammu Kashmir into a national hub for knowledge, culture, and creativity. I hope this book festival will inspire the youth to read every day, protect endangered languages, and use literature as a way to value and respect diversity,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
Describing the festival as “more than just an event,” Sinha said it represents a movement aimed at nurturing a vibrant literary culture in the Union Territory.
“Our goal is to transform Jammu and Kashmir into a national hub for knowledge, culture and creativity. I hope this book festival inspires the youth to read every day, protect endangered languages and use literature to value and respect diversity,” he said.
Highlighting the enduring importance of books, the Lieutenant Governor observed that books are “living conversations” that encourage people to think deeply, question assumptions and grow intellectually.
“Nothing matches the power of writing. Combined with a strong imagination, it becomes a lasting strength. A vibrant book festival creates a welcoming space where literature becomes accessible, inspiring and meaningful for everyone,” he said.
Sinha said the Chinar Book Festival has, within a short span, emerged as a unique celebration of ideas and evolved into a strong national platform for debates, dialogue and knowledge exchange.
He likened writers and thinkers to the iconic Chinar tree, calling them symbols of patience, beauty and endurance that continue to guide human civilisation through generations.
“We share the responsibility to restore Jammu and Kashmir as a leading hub for education, literature and youth empowerment,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor noted that previous editions of the festival had generated fresh momentum for the region’s literary traditions through workshops, panel discussions and literary conversations. He also appreciated efforts to revive the ancient Sharada script and promote cultural exchanges, including Tamil-Kashmiri dialogues under the spirit of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.
Emphasising that the success of a book festival should not be judged by book sales alone, Sinha said its true achievement lies in the ideas and conversations it generates.
“If a discussion that begins here reaches a college or university, or if a young person finds a book that changes the course of their life, that will be the greatest success of the Chinar Book Festival,” he remarked.
Calling upon young people to strengthen their reading habits, the Lieutenant Governor urged every student to read at least one book beyond the academic curriculum each month and encouraged aspiring writers to write at least one page every day.
He also envisioned the festival as a year-round movement connecting local libraries, small-town book clubs and various forms of literature, music and visual arts.
During the event, Sinha visited book stalls, interacted with exhibitors and released several publications in different languages. He also directed the organisers to plan a similar book festival in Jammu.
Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, National Book Trust Chairman Prof. Milind Sudhakar Marathe, Commissioner Secretary School Education Ram Niwas Sharma, National Book Trust Director Yuvraj Malik, Chief Convener Dr Amit Wanchoo, Director of the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language Dr Md. Shams Equbal, along with eminent literary personalities, students, book lovers and senior officials, attended the festival.
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