Assembly Speaker PD Sona addressing the Arunachal Literature Festival
Assembly Speaker PD Sona addressing the Arunachal Literature Festival. Image: Northeast Now

The three-day Arunachal Literature Festival, which was attended by writers from India and abroad, concluded in Itanagar with pomp and gaiety.

The festival was organised by the Department of Information and Public Relations (IPR) in collaboration with Arunachal Pradesh Literary Society (APLS).

Addressing the concluding ceremony State Assembly Speaker PD Sona said, “It is important to inculcate reading habit among the young minds.”

“Moreover, outreach programmes focusing more on literary activities to connect the young people are a dire necessity,” he added.

He thanked the writers from India and abroad for coming to the State to inspire the young minds.

Sona disclosed that the Assembly is opening up an e-Library where access will be given to students without fees and also a museum to showcase rich artefacts and traditions of the State.

He also gave away prizes for an open-air painting competition for school children and online essay competition for school and college students to mark the festival.

Speaking to the young people noted author Jerry Pinto said that every brain is a computer and it is important to take charge of it.
“Reading and listening alone can give productive results without depending on fate or society,” he said.

“Plant seed in your brain, nurture it for 10 years and see it bloom like a garden,” he added.

Nored author Dhruba Hazarika expressed his belongingness to Arunachal Pradesh and hoped that people of the state would walk in dignity and tall in the field of literature in the years to come.

Damien Lepcha is Northeast Now Correspondent in Arunachal Pradesh. He can be reached at: [email protected]