6th Edition of Dehradun Literature Festival to Commence from 8th November
Dehradun: The 6th edition of the Dehradun Literature Festival (DDLF) was officially announced today at a press conference held at the Doon Library and Research Center. Scheduled from 8th to 10th November, the literary and cultural festival with the theme Sahitya, Cinema, Samaaj will be hosted at Doon International School, City Campus, Dehradun.
Founder and Producer of DDLF, Samraant Virmani, expressed his enthusiasm about the festival’s continued journey. He stated, “Since its inception in 2017, DDLF has brought together a vibrant community of authors, poets, readers, critics, journalists, and cultural icons from across various domains. With the 6th edition, we aim to transcend the boundaries of traditional understanding of literature by fostering conversations with luminaries from diverse fields. This year, we are thrilled to hold the festival in the heart of Dehradun, making the festival more accessible to all literary enthusiasts, enabling them to experience the unique confluence of Sahitya, Cinema, and Samaaj.”
Highlighting the programming for DDLF 2024, Samraant added, “We are honored to welcome an esteemed lineup of speakers that includes Shabana Azmi, Imtiaz Ali, Salman Khurshid, Anupama Chopra, Jerry Pinto, Abhinav Bindra, Wasim Barelvi, Avinash Tiwary, Bir Singh, Rajit Kapur, Jaani, Sajid Ali, Leena Yadav, Sandhya Mridul, Prachee Shah Paandya, Trinetra, Vineet Kumar, Aaditya Kulshreshth, and many more. Additionally, we have prominent voices from Uttarakhand, such as Manjula Rana, Abhinav Bindra, IPS Ashok Kumar, IPS Abhinav Kumar, Lokesh Ohri, Mona Verma, Ira Chauhan, and Jyotika Bedi, all contributing to this unparalleled gathering of thought leaders.”
A special initiative of DDLF is the Shivani – Iron Lady of the Hills Award, which will be presented to Professor Manjula Rana of Garhwal Central University. The award, which includes a cash prize of Rs. 25,000, honors female Hindi authors who have made significant contributions to literature and championed women’s voices in their work.
Festival Director Saumya Kulshreshtha shared her excitement about the unique lineup of sessions and diverse programming. “For DDLF 2024, we’ve crafted a range of sessions that reflect a true diversity in language, representation, perspectives, and art forms. We are presenting an extraordinary lineup of renowned authors, artists, musicians, and poets. The festival will cover a broad spectrum of topics from literature and wellness to music, poetry, and social issues. Notably, this year we’re introducing sessions focusing on queer representation, inclusivity, gender, and women writers, as well as performative and experiential events,” she emphasized.
“This year’s festival will host over 100 literary and cinematic stars. Attendees can look forward to interactive workshops, book launches, open mics, and panel discussions. Special sessions for children will focus on sports, creativity, writing, and Indian culture, making the event a truly family-inclusive celebration of the arts”, added Saumya.
HS Mann, Director of Doon International School, expressed his delight in hosting DDLF, saying, “Doon International School has had the honor of hosting the Dehradun Literature Festival for several years now, and each edition only adds to the legacy we are creating together. We are delighted to see this festival grow and draw luminaries from across the country to our campus. This festival not only celebrates literature and arts but also inspires our students and community, sparking an enthusiasm for learning and exploration beyond the classroom. We look forward to welcoming both eminent personalities and passionate audiences to our school.”