By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 21 Oct: The 6th edition of the Dehradun Literature Festival (DDLF) kicked off with a curtain-raiser at Kunzum Books, Delhi, marking the first time the festival has hosted such an event in the capital city. DDLF, a three-day celebration of literature, cinema, and societal issues is scheduled from 8 to 10 November at Doon International School in Dehradun.
This is a first of its kind foray by DDLF, expanding its community to Delhi. The Founder of the Dehradun Literature Festival, Samraant Virmani, highlighted the festival’s journey and growing stature on India’ literary landscape in the pre-event remarks. He said, “The Dehradun Literature Festival has become a landmark event, not just for our valley, but for the country. This curtain-raiser is a symbol of how far we’ve come, with the festival now recognised as a platform for meaningful conversations that span literature, cinema, and society. This year promises to be our most exciting yet, with over 70 distinguished personalities coming to engage with our audiences.”
Renowned historian and author, William Dalrymple took the stage at the Curtain Raiser to deliver a captivating lecture on his latest book, The Golden Road, exploring historical trade routes between East and West. Dalrymple, who has a personal connection to Dehradun, shared, “My first and only paid employment in India was at St Joseph’s Academy, Dehradun, in 1984, so the Doon Valley feels like my first home in India. It feels appropriate to stand here opening the Dehradun Literature Festival.”
The event continued with an address by the Festival Director, Saumya Kulshreshtha, who shared her vision for this year’s edition and the importance of bringing literary icons to Dehradun. She said, “We have come from Dehradun, a valley known for its stunning scenic beauty, but equally recognised as the education and literary capital of India. Over the past five years, DDLF has brought veterans from literature, art, culture, and cinema to engage with our literary community in Doon. This year’s theme, ‘Sahitya, Cinema, Samaaj’, seeks to intertwine discussions on literature and cinema with societal issues.”
The evening concluded with a book-signing session, at which attendees had the opportunity to meet Dalrymple, share their thoughts, and get their copies of The Golden Road signed.
With its rich lineup of over 35 thought-provoking sessions, captivating performances, and encounters with leading names in literature, art, and cinema, the 6th edition of the Dehradun Literature Festival promises to be a landmark cultural event for the valley. This year’s edition will feature celebrated names such as Abhinav Bindra, Shabana Azmi, Wasim Barelvi, Anupama Chopra, Jerry Pinto, Yatindra Mishra, Avinash Tiwary, Akshat Gupta and many more who will join vibrant literary conversations and engage with audiences on various topics.