Srinagar, Jul 16: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will inaugurate the third edition of the Chinar Book Festival at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) on July 18, marking the beginning of a nine-day literary and cultural extravaganza on the banks of the Dal Lake.
Officials said on Thursday that the Lieutenant Governor will inaugurate the festival in the presence of senior officials from the District Administration Srinagar, the School Education Department, the Higher Education Department, the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL), and the National Book Trust (NBT), India.
The festival scheduled from July 18 to 26, is being organised by the National Book Trust, India, under the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the District Administration Srinagar and the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language.
Set against the backdrop of Dal Lake, the festival will bring together readers, writers, publishers, artists and scholars from across the country. More than 200 publishers and booksellers will participate, displaying books in English, Urdu, Kashmiri, Hindi and several other Indian languages, offering readers, students and book lovers an opportunity to explore a diverse collection of titles.
Addressing a press conference, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar Akshay Labroo described the Chinar Book Festival as much more than a book fair, saying it has evolved into a platform for learning, creativity and inspiration.
“The festival will bring together eminent personalities from literature, art, cinema and science, providing young people with a unique opportunity to interact with them, learn from their experiences and pursue their own passions. I invite the people of Srinagar and across Jammu & Kashmir to visit the festival and experience the very best the country has to offer,” he said.
Yuvraj Malik, Director, National Book Trust, India, said the third edition has been envisioned as the largest literary and cultural celebration in the region. He said more than 800 artists, including local authors, curators and performers, will participate over the nine days, showcasing their work through literary, artistic and cultural programmes.
Inviting people from Srinagar and neighbouring districts to attend, Malik said the festival would serve as a vibrant celebration of books, ideas and culture for readers of all age groups.
Chief Convener of the Chinar Book Festival, Dr Amit Wanchoo, said the event has been designed as a platform to inspire the youth of Jammu & Kashmir. Students from districts across the Union Territory will participate in the festival, enabling them to engage with renowned authors, scholars, artists and innovators from across the country.
Wanchoo also announced a special Innovators’ Meet, which will bring together student innovators from Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Kashmir (SKUAST-K), the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), and the University of Kashmir. The event will showcase internationally patented innovations, emerging start-ups and young innovators from across the Valley.
Director of the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language, Dr Shams Equbal, highlighted the festival’s Urdu literary programming, including Mushairas and dedicated Urdu sessions. He urged young people and Urdu enthusiasts to participate and explore the richness of the language.
The nine-day festival will feature literary discussions, author interactions, book launches, workshops, storytelling sessions, creative activities for children and a range of cultural performances celebrating India’s literary diversity.
A major attraction this year will be the inaugural 5K Reading Run, a flagship event of Shiksha Saptah 2026, aimed at promoting reading alongside fitness and lifelong learning. Thousands of schoolchildren are expected to participate in the event.
Ahead of the festival, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Akshay Labroo also flagged off the Shikarathon, a unique literary prelude that transformed the iconic shikaras of Dal Lake into floating ambassadors of reading. During the event, officials unveiled the festival’s tagline, “Together We Read, Together We Lead” (Mil Kar Padhenge, Mil Kar Badhenge), underscoring the initiative’s vision of fostering a community-wide reading movement.
The organisers have invited readers, students, educators, writers and families from across Jammu & Kashmir to participate in the festival and celebrate literature, knowledge and culture in the scenic surroundings of Kashmir.
