9-day Doon Book Festival begins with 300 stalls in Dehradun, free entry

DEHRADUN: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday inaugurated the nine-day Doon Book Festival at Parade Ground.Organisers said the festival features over 300 stalls showcasing lakhs of books in Indian languages and English. It is being organised in collaboration with the Union ministry of education and the Uttarakhand govt and will conclude on April 12.Dhami said the festival represents a confluence of literature, culture and art and will provide a platform for exchange of ideas. Over the nine days, it will host sessions, interactive sessions, book discussions and ‘Meet the Author’ events. He also lauded the Children’s Pavilion, saying it would help foster a reading habit among young readers.“Devbhoomi has given birth to many litterateurs and has long been a hub of knowledge and culture. The state govt is working to preserve and promote literature,” he said, adding that writers are being honoured through awards and grants are being provided to support publication.The festival brings together readers, writers, artists and thinkers from across the country.Yuvraj Malik, director of National Book Trust, India, said the event includes over 300 stalls and is open to the public free of cost.A key highlight is the Doon Lit Fest, where authors, filmmakers and public figures, including Nitin Seth, Kulpreet Yadav, Akhilendra Mishra, Acharya Prashant, Shubhanshu Shukla and Lt Gen Satish Dua, will take part in discussions.The sessions will cover themes such as cinema, literature, leadership, patriotism, human-machine relationships, and historical narratives, including the Naval Uprising of 1946 and the legacy of Subhas Chandra Bose.As part of the festival, 13 books translated into Garhwali and Kumaoni will be released, with participation from over 50 authors.The festival will also feature daily storytelling sessions, workshops, quizzes and competitions for children, along with training programmes for teachers and cultural events in the evening. It will also promote digital reading through the Rashtriya E-Pustakalaya, which offers free access to thousands of books in over 22 Indian languages and in English.