IIT Kanpur to Organize a Three-Day Literary Event 'Akshar'

on Oct 13, 2022

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur will host the first-ever ‘Akshar’ Literature Festival on its campus from October 14–16, 2022. The Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) of IIT Kanpur, Rajbhasha Prakoshth, the Shivani center for the nurturing and re-integration of Hindi and other Indian languages, and Gaatha, an audio hosting platform, collaborated to create the event.

The occasion is a celebration of Hindi author Gaura Pant, commonly known as Shivani, and her life and accomplishments. She was a well-known author with readers all across the nation and was a pioneer of the strong female protagonist in literature at the time.

Pushpesh Pant, Mrinal Pande, VeeruSonker, and Pankaj Chaturvedi, among many others, are among the poets, performers, and literary and academic experts who will be present at the festival. At the occasion, the institute will also put up a book market with notable publishers.

On October 14, a panel on "Aaj Ke Daur Mein Sahitya ki Praasangikta" and an open mic will be held. On October 15, a "MahaKavi Sammelan" will be held. On October 16, a discussion on Shivani's literary works will be held. The story-telling ensemble Katharang will also perform a recital of Shivani's well-known works at the occasion.

The festival, which will be held at the outreach auditorium on October 14 and 15, and the main auditorium at IIT Kanpur on October 16, 2022, is only loosely available to the public. The purpose of the program is to familiarise guests with Hindi literature and author Shivani.