The fourth edition of Tata Steel Bhubaneswar Literary Meet (TSBLM) has kicked off here that seeks to promote Odisha's rich cultural heritage, organizers said.
The three-day festival was inaugurated by celebrated poet Jayanta Mahapatra on Friday, in the presence of a host of distinguished personalities including writers, poets, historians and actors.
Besides celebrating and trying to promote the rich cultural heritage of Odisha, the meet also seeks to explore the impact of literature on culture, the organizers said.
Mahapatra, the feted poet and proponent of Odia Literature, who is also the first Indian English poet to receive the Sahitya Akademi Award, spoke about how poetry allows him to understand reality.
Noting that literature is becoming more accessible in digital age, he encouraged budding authors to draw inspiration from adversities they face and use technology to their advantage to express creativity and imagination.
The inaugural session of the festival saw celebrated historian Sugata Bose discuss Mahatma Gandhi's relationship with Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
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Actress Waheeda Rehman mesmerised the audience as she reminisced her portrayal of iconic literary characters on screen.
"It is wonderful to see the support the Tata Steel Bhubaneswar Literary Meet has received from the people. It is their enthusiasm and love for literature, creative pursuits and debate that motivates and encourages us to make future events even bigger and better," said Anand Sen, president of TQM (Total Quality Management) and Steel Business, Tata Steel.
Chanakya Chaudhary, Vice President, Corporate Services, Tata Steel, said, "Tata Steel's Literary Meets are one of the ways in which we build and celebrate talent".
Participants at this year's meet include writer Ruskin Bond and acclaimed singer Rekha Bhardwaj, among others.
The festival also offers a platform to pay homage to the best of Odia literature. Odia sessions to discuss Gandhi in Odisha, legacy of Fakir Mohan Senapati a century after his demise, 'Becoming Odia' and other issues, feature prominently in the festival, a Tata Steel release said.
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