Literary meets and story telling sessions ignite creativity and passion for books among children, says noted award winning writer Ramendra Kumar, who took out time from his busy corporate schedule to grace the famous Bookaroo Children's Literature Festival in Jaipur.
"Literature Festivals such as Bookaroo create a terrific connect between children and books. Love for reading gets ingrained in the young minds by these events," said Ramen, who happens to be the Head of Public Relations at Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP).
Popularly known as Ramen, the award winning writer who has over 30 books brought out by well known publishers to his credit, believes that story-telling sessions also leave similar impressions among children in their formative years.
Story-telling can spark creativity and bring hidden talents to the fore, said Ramen, the only writer from Odisha to have been invited to this popular and prestigious festival which was attended by 17 speakers from four countries.
Referring to Bookaroo which he attended last week, Ramen said the event happens to be India's best-loved children's literature festival. "The Festival included a thrilling array of storytelling, book reading, crafts and much, much more," he said.
Ramen, who has won 26 awards in various competitions for writers of children's literature organised by Children's Book Trust (CBT), said he conducted five story telling sessions during the festival for different age groups.
"The sessions attracted a huge crowd of children and their parents who responded to his stories with unadulterated enthusiasm and unbridled energy," he said adding the eclectic audience were made to shout, sing and dance with the riveting tales which were a heady mix of thrills, chills.
Bookaroo, presented by Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur and produced by the Bookaroo Trust, also conducts a popular intervention. As a part of this initiative Ramen visited Delhi Public School, Jaipur, a day before the main festival, and conducted a story telling session. Ramen said he was also felicitated in the school.
Ramen's writings have been published in several Indian and foreign languages and included in text books, as well as national and international anthologies. He has been conducting research on Jagannath Consciousness and his book Tales of Lord Jagannath has been very well received.
