IIT Kanpur Celebrates Five Years of Gaatha with a Grand Literary and Cultural Extravaganza

Kanpur : The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK), under the joint aegis of Rajbhasha Prakoshtha (Hindi Cell), Shivani Centre for the Nurture and Re-Integration of Hindi and Other Indian Languages, and Hindi Sahitya Sabha, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Government of Uttar Pradesh, and the renowned audio platform Gaatha, organized the literature festival ‘Gaatha Mahotsav 2024’ at IIT Kanpur’s Outreach Auditorium to mark the successful completion of five years of Gaatha and to celebrate literature in its various forms. The event was inaugurated by lighting the lamp by Prof. Braj Bhushan, Deputy Director of IIT Kanpur, Prof. Amitabha Bandyopadhyay. Co-Professor In-Charge of SIIC, Prof. Shalabh, Dean of Academic Affairs; Prof. Bushra Ateeq, Dean of International Relations; Prof. Ark Verma of the Rajbhasha Prakoshtha (Hindi Cell), Pooja Srivastava, Co-founder and Director of Gaatha, and Dr. Bhavana Tiwari, Director of the Kavita Prakoshth.
In the inaugural address, Prof. Braj Bhushan, Deputy Director of IIT Kanpur, emphasized Gaatha’s remarkable role in promoting Hindi literature. He observed that Gaatha’s expanding user base is fostering a renewed appreciation for poetry among the public. The event also included an enchanting performance by students from Jyoti Badhir Vidyalaya, who captivated the audience with a Ganesh Vandana and a dance drama.
The highlight of the event was the launch of Mr. Sanjay Shepherd’s book, “Ek Siyah Firdaus,” by the distinguished guests present on stage, followed by honoring Jyoti Badhir Vidyalaya and Kanpur Ploggers for their outstanding social contributions.
Following this, the first session, moderated by Dr. Pradeep Dixit, featured a comprehensive discussion on the tourism sites of Uttar Pradesh. Renowned writer and travel blogger Mr. Sanjay Shepherd, along with Dr. M.K. Pandey from Delhi University, delved into the interests and future prospects of tourism in the state.
In the second session, there was a detailed discussion on the Hindi poetic genre ‘Navgeet’ featuring Mr. Ram Sanehi Lal Sharma, Mr. Virendra Astik and Mr. Raja Awasthi, who discussed the nuances and differences between geet and navgeet. This session was moderated by well-known litterateur and critic Dr. Rakesh Shukla.
The third session saw eminent young writers Mr. Bhagwant Anmol and Ms. Aakanksha Pare discussing the opportunities in literature for new writers and youth. Mr. Anand Kakkar, founder of Kahakashan Foundation, conducted this session.
The fourth session featured an open mic for young talents, moderated by Ms. Pallavi Garg. Seven poets, including Priyam Dixit, Amit Pandey, Anshul Awasthi, Shubham Tiwari, Akash Ojha, Akshay Mishra, and Imtiaz Ahmed, participated in the poetry recitation.
In the fifth session, renowned actor Rajendra Gupta was in conversation with acclaimed poet Dr. Bhavana Tiwari. Mr. Rajendra Gupta shared untold aspects of his life and read a story and poems.
The sixth session, dedicated to the legendary composer Madan Mohan, featured a musical performance by All India Radio RJ Archana and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa winner Gopal Sharma, which left the audience enthralled.
In the seventh session, actor Ashok Pathak, known for his role in the web series Panchayat, spoke about his life journey and struggles, amusing the audience with his witty anecdotes.
The eighth and final session was a poetry symposium featuring well-known poets Dr. Vishnu Saxena, Mr. Ajay Anjaam, Mr. Rahul Sharma, Mr. Yogesh Shukla, Mr. Alok Bejan, who captivated the audience with their poems.
During the poetry recitation, Yogesh Shukla from Lucknow read a poignant verse: ” घेरे हों जिंदगी में अगर मुश्किलें तमाम सुबहो शाम, तो टकराओं मुश्किलों से लेके राम जी का नाम सुबहो शाम.” Dr. Alok Bejan recited: “जमीदंरी को गुजरे एक अरसा हो गया कब का मगर जिल्ले इलाही ने हवेली पाल रखी है।” Hemant Pandey entertained everyone with his humorous poems, while the entire auditorium applauded the ghazals of Rahul Sharma from Moradabad. Ajay Anjaam shared a powerful line: “ठंड की इमदाद पाली जा रही है जून में खेत को पानी मिला है फसल मुरझाने के बाद।”
Dr. Vishnu Saxena, who chaired the session, recited songs like “Thal Pooja Ka Lekar Chale Aaiye,” elevating the program to great heights. The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Mr. Amit Tiwari, co-founder and director of Gaatha. The program was conducted by Vishwanath Tiwari Vishwa from Unnao.