IIT-K’s Gaatha Mahotsav 2024 Showcases a Diverse Literary Celebration

IIT-K’s Gaatha Mahotsav 2024 celebrated Hindi literature with sessions on poetry, tourism, and music, featuring prominent writers, poets, and actors.

on Jul 23, 2024

IIT-K’s Gaatha Mahotsav 2024 | Frontlist

The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-K) hosted 'Gaatha Mahotsav 2024', an event dedicated to celebrating various forms of literature. This event, marking five years of Gaatha, was organized by the Rajbhasha Prakoshtha (Hindi Cell), Shivani Centre for the Nurture and Re-Integration of Hindi and Other Indian Languages, and the Hindi Sahitya Sabha, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Government of Uttar Pradesh.

The festival began with a session led by Dr. Pradeep Dixit, focusing on Uttar Pradesh’s tourism sites. Writer and travel blogger Anjay Shepherd and Dr. MK Pandey from Delhi University discussed the state’s tourism interests and prospects.

The second session, moderated by Dr. Rakesh Shukla, explored the Hindi poetic form 'Navgeet' with contributions from Ram Sanehi Lal Sharma, Virendra Astik, and Raja Awasthi, who examined the distinctions between geet and navgeet.

Young writers Bhagwant Anmol and Aakanksha Pare participated in the third session, discussing the literary opportunities available to emerging writers. Anand Kakkar, founder of the Kahakashan Foundation, facilitated this discussion.

An open mic session followed, moderated by Pallavi Garg, where poets Priyam Dixit, Amit Pandey, Anshul Awasthi, Shubham Tiwari, Akash Ojha, Akshay Mishra, and Imtiaz Ahmed showcased their poetry.

The fifth session featured a conversation between acclaimed actor Rajendra Gupta and poet Dr. Bhavana Tiwari. Gupta shared personal stories and recited poetry, offering a glimpse into his life.

The sixth session honored the legendary composer Madan Mohan with a musical tribute by All India Radio RJ Archana and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa winner Gopal Sharma, captivating the audience with their performance.

Actor Ashok Pathak, known for his role in the web series "Panchayat," shared insights from his life and career in the seventh session, engaging the audience with his humorous anecdotes.

The festival concluded with a poetry symposium, where poets Dr. Vishnu Saxena, Ajay Anjaam, Rahul Sharma, Yogesh Shukla, and Alok Bejan presented their work, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.