The 5th Gujarat Literature Festival (GLF) was inaugurated on Thursday by Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani at the Gujarat University Senate Hall, to celebrate three days of seamless literary tête-à-tête. Also, Mrs Amruta Fadnavis, popular Gujarati author Kajal Oza Vaidya, Samkit Shah, Festival Producer, GLF, Shyam Parekh, Festival Director, GLF, Padmashree Vishnu Pandya, Head Gujarat Sahitya Academy, Himanshu Pandya, Vice Chancellor Gujarat University were among the several guests of honour.

COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

CM Rupani congratulated team GLF for its consistent efforts to promote Gujarati language and literature among the young and old alike over the last five years. He said his government was considering making Gujarati a compulsory language.

“I believe that with the help of GLF, Gujarati language will restore its former glory in the coming years. We will all walk hand-in-hand towards this goal. Yes, students are failing in Gujarati. They are going away from the languages.

Gujarati medium schools are shutting down. It’s important to frame policies to promote language. In the coming days, we will work towards promoting Gujarati language. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had initiated “vaanche Gujarat” to promote literature. We wish to continue the same. Books have become integral in today’s life. We want to get associated with people who are working towards promoting literature,” Rupani said. 

The evening also saw the first GLF Awards, incorporated as an annual drill to recognize accomplishments of writers across genres and print and a number of workshops to hone the art of storytelling. Mrs Fadnavis referred to the film — Dead Poets Society — where actor Robin Williams taught his students using poetry as a medium.