OD-LITERARY MEET

The fourth edition of Tata

Steel Bhubaneswar Literary Meet (TSBLM) has kicked off here

that seeks to promote Odisha's rich cultural heritage,

organizers said.

The three-day festival was inaugurated by celebrated

poet Jayanta Mahapatra on Friday, in the presence of a host of

distinguished personalities including writers, poets,

historians and actors.

Besides celebrating and trying to promote the rich

cultural heritage of Odisha, the meet also seeks to explore

the impact of literature on culture, the organizers said.

Mahapatra, the feted poet and proponent of Odia

Literature, who is also the first Indian English poet to

receive the Sahitya Akademi Award, spoke about how poetry

allows him to understand reality.

Noting that literature is becoming more accessible in

digital age, he encouraged budding authors to draw inspiration

from adversities they face and use technology to their

advantage to express creativity and imagination.

The inaugural session of the festival saw celebrated

historian Sugata Bose discuss Mahatma Gandhi's relationship

with Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

Harvard University historian Sugata Bose is Netaji

Subhas Chandra Bose's grand nephew.

Actress Waheeda Rehman mesmerised the audience as she

reminisced her portrayal of iconic literary characters on

screen.

"It is wonderful to see the support the Tata Steel

Bhubaneswar Literary Meet has received from the people. It is

their enthusiasm and love for literature, creative pursuits

and debate that motivates and encourages us to make future

events even bigger and better," said Anand Sen, president of

TQM (Total Quality Management) and Steel Business, Tata Steel.

Chanakya Chaudhary, Vice President, Corporate

Services, Tata Steel, said, "Tata Steel's Literary Meets are

one of the ways in which we build and celebrate talent".

Participants at this year's meet include writer Ruskin

Bond and acclaimed singer Rekha Bhardwaj, among others.

The festival also offers a platform to pay homage to

the best of Odia literature. Odia sessions to discuss Gandhi

in Odisha, legacy of Fakir Mohan Senapati a century after his

demise, 'Becoming Odia' and other issues, feature prominently

in the festival, a Tata Steel release said.