6th Tata Steel Bhubaneswar Literary Meet kicks off with a positive vibe

6th Tata Steel Bhubaneswar Literary Meet kicks off with a positive vibe

Bhubaneswar, March 11, 2022: Tata Steel Bhubaneswar Literary Meet is back again to celebrate literature and allied cultural activities including music and theatre over the weekend of March 11-13, 2022. The sixth edition of the Tata Steel Bhubaneswar Literary Meet has a new home this year, Bhubaneswar Club. The festival was inaugurated by Odisha’s celebrated poet and Padma Bhushan awardee Ramakanta Rath in the presence of Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, Chairman, Sambad Group and Editor, Sambad, Sarvesh Kumar, Chief, Corporate Communications, Tata Steel India & South East Asia, and Malavika Banerjee, Director of Tata Steel Bhubaneswar Literary Meet.

The inaugural day witnessed an engaging discussion on the influence of podcast, radio and audio-books in today’s world with Sandip Roy, Tanaya Patnaik and Ruskin Bond. Acclaimed author Rakesh Khanna shared his thoughts on his latest novel “Ghosts, Monsters and Demons of India”. The evening was concluded with a performance of popular stand-up comic Abhijit Ganguly.

Sarvesh Kumar, Chief, Corporate Communications, Tata Steel India & South East Asia said, “Since its inception Tata Steel Bhubaneswar Literary Meet has not just drawn leading literary minds from Odisha, but from across India and the world. The event has grown to become an integral part of Odisha’s cultural calendar. Returning after a year’s gap, this edition will once again celebrate unique thoughts, unexplored ideas and unstoppable voices.”

Over the next two days the festival will showcase the life of celebrated Odia icon Manoj Das as well as filmmaking maestro Satyajit Ray. Odisha’s eminent authors Gourahari Das, Jatindra Nayak and Sangram Jena, will speak on the works of Manoj Das while Ray’s legacy will be explored by actor Dhritiman Chatterjee. Another focal point of the festival is a session called “Ode to India’s Nightingale” in the presence of Sonam Karla, Antara Salil Choudhury and Surya Deo to celebrate Lata Mangeshkar. Author and bureaucrat R. Balakrishnan will be discussing his book on ancient India, ‘Journey of a Civilisation: Indus to Vaigai’ at the festival with Sundar Ganesan.

Jatindra Nayak and Bikram Grewal have new books and these will be discussed and launched at the festival. Traditionally, women’s writings have been celebrated and discussed across all of Tata Steel’s Literary Meets, and this edition is no different. Sahitya Akademi awardees Yashodhara Mishra, Sanghamitra Mishra and Hiranmayee Mishra will be discussing on women writers writing on women issues. IT legend Nandan Nilekani will speak with co-author Tanuj Bhojwani on his forthcoming book ‘Art of Bitfulness’, while Rahul Bose and Jayant Kripalini will discuss the impact of web series on big screens.

Malavika Banerjee, Director, Tata Steel Bhubaneswar Literary Meet said, “The festival this year has a literary heart but also extends to cinema, theatre and even the digital world. Post the pandemic, people have been looking forward to rejuvenate themselves and this literary fest will surely help the culture-loving people of Odisha to attain the same.”

The other tradition that Tata Steel Bhubaneswar Literary Meet is keeping alive is the evening cultural programme. Popular thespian Lillete Dubey will be performing “Lockdown Liaison” at the Rail Auditorium on March 12, while vocalist Sonam Kalra will bring the festival to a musical conclusion on March 13.