Dehradun: A
two-day literary festival, ‘Welham Sahitya Spriha’, concluded at Welham Girls’
School, Dehradun, with an engaging blend of literary discussions, meaningful
dialogue and active student participation. The festival was organised with the
joint support of Valley of Words, Sahitya Akademi and Union Bank, with the
objective of promoting a culture of reading among students and introducing them
to diverse literary genres and contemporary themes.
The first day
commenced with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp, followed by a graceful
Bharatanatyam performance. During the inaugural session, Dr Sanjeev Chopra,
Member, Board of Governors, Welham Girls’ School and Festival Director, Valley
of Words, spoke about the importance of literature and nurturing a strong
reading culture among young learners. The first day featured engaging sessions
on works including ‘Trimaya’, ‘Chor Gali Mein Titliyan’, ‘Kabira Soi Peer Hai’,
‘Stree Asmita Ka Itihas’, ‘Shreyasi’, ‘Megh Malhar’ and ‘Matlab Hindu’. The
sessions brought together writers and discussants for meaningful conversations
on a range of literary, social and contemporary issues.
The second day began
with a discussion on senior writer Devendra Mewari’s memoir ‘Yayavar Ki
Yaadein’. This was followed by interactive sessions on ‘Naach’, ‘Orbital’,
‘Paandan’ and ‘Daakini’, featuring writers, translators and discussants. The
discussions explored diverse themes including art, identity, translation, human
relationships, folk beliefs and social perceptions.
A key highlight of the
festival was the active participation of students. Students of Welham Girls’
School, along with students invited from other schools, interacted with writers
across various sessions, asked thoughtful questions and contributed actively to
the discussions. These interactive sessions gave students an opportunity to
gain a deeper understanding of the authors’ creative processes, experiences and
literary perspectives.
The closing ceremony
was graced by Dr Sudha Rani Pandey, former Vice Chancellor of Uttarakhand
Sanskrit University, Haridwar. Her presence added significance to the
concluding ceremony, which marked the culmination of two days of enriching
literary engagement and dialogue.
In her vote of thanks,
Mrs Vibha Kapoor, Principal, Welham Girls’ School, expressed her gratitude to
the writers, discussants, partner organisations, teachers and students for
their contribution to the success of the festival. She also announced that the
school would like to host ‘Welham Sahitya Spriha’ again next year, with the aim
of continuing this meaningful engagement between literature and young readers.
The two-day ‘Welham
Sahitya Spriha’ established itself as a meaningful initiative to make
literature not merely a subject of reading for students, but also a vibrant
medium for thought, dialogue and creative expression.