Bhubaneswar: The curtains of the 11th edition of the Kalinga Literary Festival came down on Sunday evening with a glittering performance by the Indian Ocean band.
The three-day literary event saw the participation of hundreds of thought leaders, writers, poets, novelists, artists, filmmakers, and social entrepreneurs from India and abroad. They engaged in around a hundred thought-provoking sessions related to literature, culture, arts, cinema, and politics.
Speaking at the valedictory function, Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao said that literature shapes society, and one cannot imagine a society without literature. He emphasized that literature is the true mirror of society.
“I feel proud to be here in the land of Lord Jagannath and my neighboring state, with which we share a ‘Roti, Beti ki sampark’ (a relationship of sharing bread and daughters),” he stated.
Sao asserted that literature plays a key role in protecting civilization, culture, and the traditional values on which our society stands.
The organizers presented prizes and awards to student champions in various categories of competitions held earlier.
On the third and final day of the event, parallel sessions on women entrepreneurs, cinema, arts, and cultural relations among regions were discussed at length.
Wrapping up the festival, CEO Ashok Bal said that a lot of effort was put in collectively by the organizers to bring together literary minds, artists, writers, entrepreneurs, and emerging opinion leaders from across the globe. He added that the initiative had been successful.
Festival Director Rashmi Ranjan Parida opined that the objective of introducing contemporary writings to the Odia audience and readers had been achieved, and this milestone event set an example for the future.
“Our efforts to take Odia writings, art forms, and language to the international stage received a boost,” Parida said.
