The 'Patna Literary Festival', fashioned on the lines of the 'Jaipur Literary Festival', got off to a glittering start today with noted lyricist Gulzar and literatti Ashok Vajpayee present among the celebrities.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated the three-day event in the premises of Patna Museum.
Speaking on the occasion, he said literary figures from abroad should also be invited to the festival in Patna in view to increase its importance at the global platform.
He also emphasised on the promotion of Hindi, Urdu and other Indian languages at the festival.
The Chief Minister said his government has been extending all help for organising functions for promotion of art, culture and literature.
Book fair is organised at Gandhi maidan every year which is next only to the one held at Kolkata in magnitude, he said.
He said efforts were on to hunt talent within the state and provide citizens exposure to rich art and literary works.
Lyricist and scholar Gulzar and famous literary figures like Ashok Vajpayee, Sayeed Naqvi, Om Thanvi, Usha Kiran Khan and Puroshotam Aggarwal graced the occasion.
Diplomat Pawan Kumar Verma, who is Cultural Secretary to the CM and Vice President of the Patna Literary festival, presided the function.
