NPSC Lit Fest 2023

We must seek glory in the illumination of a lamp lit anywhere in the world. Rabindranath Tagore

The National Progressive Schools Conference organised the NPSC Lit Fest 2023 on 18 February at the India Habitat Centre, as part of its Golden Jubilee Celebration (1973-2023). The fest was a planned literary event that featured rich literary talent-writers, poets, novelists and eminent authors who provided an excellent opportunity for creativity, imagination and an exchange of ideas, promoting literature with social responsibility. The occasion saw a large gathering of principals and language teachers from prominent member schools across Delhi-NCR.

The Indian School was represented by Principal, Ms Tania Joshi, and English language teachers, Ms Vandana Tewari, Ms Navreet Shergill, Ms Sonali Grover, Ms Gandharvi Mukherjee, and Ms Naina Sethi. Our teachers Ms Radhika Prabhakar and Ms Supriya Sahay handled the registrations at the registration desk for the event.

Chief Guest Padma Vibhushan Dr Sonal Mansingh, iconic Indian classical dancer and Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), brought an ethereal edge to the lit fest. Other dignitaries included former chairpersons of the NPSC, illustrious poets, novelists and writers.

The lighting of the lamp ceremony was accompanied with an invocation sung by students.

Dr Sudha Acharya, Chairperson, NPSC, addressed welcomed the gathering. The keynote speaker of the day, Padma Vibhushan Dr Sonal Mansingh, talked about the true meaning of poetry that creates hope, gives peace and attracts people by the very sound of it. She narrated a beautiful poem by Mahadevi Verma.

The first session, Poetry as a Healing Art, brought to light the therapeutic effect of poetry, deliberated by the distinguished poets and authors on the panel, in conversation with Dr Ameeta Mulla Wattal, Former Chairperson, NPSC.

Session II saw a select few young budding authors- Chitrakshi Talwar, Yagya Dhingra, Ishaan Agarwal, Khushi Bharara and a few others, get an opportunity to interact with eminent authors, Ms Sutapa Basu and Ms Anupama Jain.

In the third session, Ms Anita Karwal, IAS, Former Secretary Education and Chairperson, CBSE and Mr Atul Karwal, IPS, DG of National Disaster Response Force, talked about how literature manifests in so many different forms of art, scaling the impossible and motivating people to follow their passion without being frightened of the difficulties ahead. Ms Karwal also introduced us to her book, The Power of Curiosity- In and Beyond Classrooms, to be released in June this year.

The session ended with Dr Ashok Pandey in conversation with eminent personalities and well-known authors namely Padma Shri Prof. Urvashi Butalia, Mr Raghav Chandra, Mr Subhash Garg, Ms Sunita Pant Bansal and Dr Santosh Bakaya.

Ms Tania Joshi felicitated moderator, Ms Asha Prabhakar, Secretary, NPSC. The vote of thanks was delivered by Ms Mallika Preman, Executive Member, NPSC.

The Lit Fest culminated with textures and shades of writings that would set a forum for fruition through its lens of artistry.