3-day Bhopal literature and art fest to begin from Jan 12

The first edition of the Bhopal Literature and Art Festival (BLF) will be held from January 12-14 at Bharat Bhawan here, organisers said Tuesday.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath will inaugurate the event while Union Minister of Tourism K J Alphons will preside over the programme, Raghav Chandra, BLF director said.

Chandra, a retired IAS official, said the three-day literature festival will present an array of writers, thought leaders, artists, academics and celebrities from India, US, UK and Austria.

Meera Das, festival secretary said BLF will see author Namita Gokhale receiving the Sushila Devi Literature Award For The Best Book Of Fiction Written By A Woman Author in 2016 and 2017 for her book "Things To Leave Behind".

Organisers said BLF would see 70 authors, artists and experts in attendance.

Some of the notable speakers who have confirmed their presence at BLF are former RAW chief AS Dulat, Chairman of the PM's Economic Advisory Council Bibek Debroy, filmmaker and environmentalist Pradeep Krishan, Lieutenant General (retd) ATA Hasnain, Lt General (retd) Mohinder Puri, diplomat-turned-MP Pawan Verma and former Chief Election Commissioner SY Qureshi among others.