GUWAHATI, Jan 28 - Stressing the need for nation building through cultural bonding, Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Prakash Javadekar today said that cultural progress is the yardstick to judge the development process of a nation.
Javadekar, who was the chief guest at the first Brahmaputra Literary Festival being held at the Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra here, said that literary events were more than a festival and in fact a cultural investment, providing a platform for cultural and literary exchanges.
�Development is not just about money and wealth. No less important is the progress of a nation in the path of culture, which has a huge bearing in nation building,� he said. He added that the Central government is making all efforts to encourage and promote literature from young writers in all regional languages.
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, in his address, termed literature as the mirror of society reflecting its strengths and weaknesses. �Literature empowers the masses and enables the readers to ask questions, interact and look for answers in uncertain times. The festival would be a great platform for interaction and exchange of ideas between the readers and litterateurs from across the country and abroad,� he added.
Referring to the Brahmaputra and its heritage, Sonowal said that regional literature had a role in highlighting at the global level the incredible river and its bearing in shaping the Assamese identity through the ages. �The river is intrinsic to the Assamese identity and pride, and its place in the State�s culture and literature is enduring and indelible,� he said.
Referring to the numerous timeless numbers penned by Dr Bhupen Hazarika on the Brahmaputra, Sonowal said the river incarnated the very essence of life which inspired the music maestro to create those unforgettable songs on the Brahmaputra and its place in the hearts of every Assamese.
Sonowal said the three-day festival would facilitate a much-needed interaction between the young writers of the State and the region with eminent authors from different parts of the country and abroad. �It would also help promote and sustain the habit of reading among children,� he added.
Altogether 16 authors from 10 countries and some leading writers from across the country are participating in the festival. Among noted participants are Randy Taguchi from Japan, Carlo Pizaati, Giampaolo Simi and Alessandra Bertini from Italy, and Francois Gautier and Nicoloi Idier from France. Prominent Indian writers include Damodar Mauzo, Subhash Kashyap, Makarand Paranjpe and Narendra Kohli, besides those from the Northeast.
Among those present on the occasion were Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Secretary VK Pipersenia, National Book Trust (NBT) Chairman Baldev Bhai Sharma, NBT Director Rita Choudhury, eminent author from Japan Randy Taguchi and Konkani writer from Goa Damodar Mauzo.
