Second day of Kathmandu Kalinga Literary Festival starts

The second day of the third edition of the Kathmandu Kalinga Literary Festival (KLF) started at Hotel Himalaya in Lalitpur. The second day of the two-day event, themed “Nepal: The Gateway to Asian Art, Culture, and Literature,” was jointly inaugurated by Rob Fenn, British Ambassador to Nepal, Dr Rajendra Bimal, Dr Jagman Gurung, Prof Bina Poudel, Jatin Kumar Nayak, KLF Founder Rashmi Ranjan Parida, Kathmandu KLF Director Ranjana Niraula and Ashok Bal among others.

In his speech, Ambassador Fenn emphasized the significance of literature, stating that it plays a vital role in all aspects, including diplomacy, which he described as “a game of words.” He added, “I will be writing while I’m in Nepal, as it is impossible not to feel inspired here.” Representing the UK in Nepal is a dream, he noted.

Dr Gurung highlighted the deep connection between Nepal and India, referencing Kalinga, an Indian state where peace was established after violence. “World War III may be approaching, but those who seek war should take inspiration from Kalinga.” He further stressed the importance of the festival in promoting the shared culture, tradition, and literature of both India and Nepal.

During the inaugural session, Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri, Sanjeev Sanyal, and Achyuta Samanta were honored with the Yashaswi Samman.

Also, during the inaugural session, the book ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: Biswo Rangamanchama Narendra Modi’ was launched. This collection features speeches by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered on international platforms. The content was compiled by Bhupendra Bahadur Chhetri and translated into Nepali by Sangar Chand.

The organizers also announced that the fourth edition of the Kathmandu Kalinga Literary Festival will be held on 13-14 Sept 2025.

On the second and final day of the festival, around 30 sessions will be held, including ‘Diaspora and The Craft of Writing and Literature’, ‘Mythilak Nari in Cultural Communication’, ‘Charting the Future if Civilizational Dialogue’, ‘Child Psychology in Children Literature’, ‘Gorkha Identity: Opportunities and Blues Panelists’, ‘Beauty with Brains and Social Responsibility’, ‘Gajapati: The King without Kingdom’, and ‘How does literature empower women’ among others.

On the first day, 27 sessions took place, including ‘Laws for Women: Differences Between the Constitution and Treatment’, ‘To the Moon and Back’, ‘Bridging Heritage: Cultural Synergies’, ‘Media, Literature, and Social Responsibility’, ‘Bridging Worlds: The Art of Publishing and Translation’, ‘The Role and Future of Literature in the Age of AI’, ‘Recent Developments in Literature Translations from Nepal’, ‘How Significant are Literature Festivals?’, and ‘Nepal Bhasa Script and Literature: Past and Present’, among others.