Ashutosh Rana sets tone as Udeesha Sahityotsav opens in Moradabad; Sukhwinder Singh enthrals the audience

Bareilly: The five-day Udeesha Sahityotsav 2026 got off to a vibrant start on Thursday, with actor and author Ashutosh Rana headlining the inauguration, followed by a high-energy concert by renowned playback singer Sukhwinder Singh. The event drew a large turnout at Moradabad's Gandhi Ground in Buddhi Vihar.

Rana, the chief guest on the opening day, addressed the audience on language, culture and philosophy of theatre and cinema, emphasising the role of literature and performing arts in shaping social consciousness.

Earlier in the day, the formal inauguration took place at Dushyant Manch, marking the beginning of the conclave aimed at positioning Moradabad on the national cultural map. The opening sessions included a discussion on Moradabad's ‘music gharana'.

The evening saw a packed star night as Sukhwinder took the stage, delivering a power-packed performance of his popular numbers.

Udeesha Sahityotsav, running until Jan 26, will host writers, poets, musicians, theatre artists, journalists and thinkers from across the country. The programme includes sessions on poetry, storytelling, theatre, journalism, mental health, social media, artificial intelligence and contemporary social issues, along with musical and cultural performances each evening.

Key participants over the coming days include Waseem Barelvi, Pandit Sajan Mishra, Manoj Tiwari, Sona Mohapatra, Saurabh Dwivedi, Chetan Bhagat, Akshat Gupta, Niazi Brothers and Kumar Vishwas, who will deliver the concluding address on Republic Day.

The festival also features a book fair, art and photo galleries, folk performances, food festival and live sand art installations by Padma Shri awardee Sudarsan Pattnaik.

Moradabad commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh said the event is being organised with an aim to promote cultural dialogue and provide a platform for both established and emerging voices, while showcasing Moradabad's literary and artistic heritage at a national level.