by Nava Thakuria
Guwahati: The much-awaited 3rd Pragjyotishpur Literature Festival (PLF 2025) is set to commence on November 14, celebrating the spirit of India’s rich cultural heritage and intellectual traditions under the central theme “In Search of Roots.” The three-day festival (November 14–16) will be hosted at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra in Panjabari, Guwahati.
Announcing the event at a press conference in Guwahati, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Rana Pratap Kalita, Chairman of the organizing body Sankardev Education and Research Foundation (SERF), shared key highlights of the upcoming litfest. He was joined by Soumyadeep Dutta (Working President), Nava Thakuria (Vice President), and Bikram Kalita (General Secretary) of the PLF 2025 organizing committee.
Lt. Gen. Kalita informed that, as in previous years, the Pragjyotishpur Sahitya Award 2025 will be conferred upon two writers — one eminent and one emerging — during the closing ceremony of the festival.
The inaugural ceremony, to be held at Dr Banikanta Kakati Auditorium, will begin with a tribute to Assam’s three iconic sons — Sudhakantha Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, soulful singer Zubeen Garg, and flute maestro Deepak Sharma. The keynote address will be delivered by internationally acclaimed author Shefali Vaidya, while eminent writer Nanda Singh Barkola will attend as the chief guest.
The opening literary discussion will revolve around “Transformation and Evolution in Assamese Lyric Literature.” Over the next two days, the festival will feature engaging sessions on diverse topics — from the relationship between Assamese literature and journalism, the evolution of Assamese theatre from Ankiya Bhaona to mobile theatre, and the influence of nature writing on Assamese society, to the growth of translated literature in the region.
Two special sessions will delve into the life and philosophy of Bishnu Prasad Rabha and the literary contributions of Jnanpith awardee Birendra Kumar Bhattacharyya. Additionally, two multilingual poetry sessions are also scheduled.
All events on the second and third days will be held at the Madhavdev Auditorium. The valedictory session on Sunday will feature Sahitya Akademi awardee Dr. Apurba Kr. Saikia as the chief guest.
Extending an open invitation, Lt. Gen. Kalita urged literature enthusiasts, scholars, and young readers to participate wholeheartedly in making the Pragjyotishpur Litfest 2025 a grand celebration of Assam’s literary and cultural vibrancy.
