Chinar Book Festival is movement to build readers' community: J&K L-G
Srinagar, July 18
J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha said on Saturday that the Chinar Book Festival is a movement to build a vibrant community of readers, writers and thinkers.
L-G Manoj Sinha attended the third edition of the Chinar Book Festival in Srinagar. He congratulated the National Book Trust and the organisers for their commendable work.
"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 and 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 L-G said.
He added that books are like living conversations, forcing us to think deeply, ask questions, challenge beliefs and inspire growth.
The L-G noted that in a short span of time, the Chinar Book Festival has become a unique celebration of ideas, transforming into a vibrant intellectual movement across J&K.
"Writers and thinkers are like glowing lamps and blooming roses. In many ways, they mirror the majestic Chinar tree, a living symbol of patience, beauty and endurance. Writers and their books share this same lasting spirit, guiding human civilisation through the ages," he said.
He observed that the festival has become a strong national platform of ideas, debates and knowledge exchange
. "Its identity is no longer confined to stalls and book launches; it has become a means to generate new ideas, encourage dialogue and empower youth," he said.
The L-G highlighted past editions where workshops, panel discussions and literary conversations gave new energy to J&K's rich literary tradition.
He also pointed to efforts to revive the Sharada script and initiatives such as Tamil-Kashmiri dialogues under Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.
He emphasised that the success of a book festival should not be measured by sales figures, but by the ideas and conversations it generates.
The L-G urged youth to read at least one book beyond their textbooks every month and asked young writers to resolve to write at least one page daily.
"Through the Chinar Book Festival we are ensuring that our children have roots to their identity as well as wings for future flight," he said.
He visited book stalls, interacted with exhibitors and released several publications in different languages.
He also asked organisers to plan a similar festival in Jammu.
— IANS
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