It’s raining lit fests at Delhi University

Among those at the fest on the first two days were Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, who wrote ‘The Rise of BJP: The Making of the World’s Largest Political Party’, Dasgupta, Sanyal, and Tilak Devasher, who wrote ‘The Pashtuns: A Contested History’.

In a tweet on Friday, Yadav said: “Attended the 1st Edition of Delhi University Literature Festival at Ramjas College today. Lovely to see young minds ready to fire up their imagination with reading and writing.”

Vikas Singh Pawar, a second-year Political Science student from Hindu College, who is one of the organisers, said: “Among the speakers invited are renowned authors, columnists, historians… This festival was inspired by the Jaipur Literature Festival, the grandeur around it, so we thought DU should also have one.”

“Historic India Research Foundation, a DU student body, is also responsible for implementation of the idea of this event. Once we finalised the idea and found the sponsor, we took permission from the DU administration and Ramjas College to use the premises,” said Srishti Sharma, president of the fest’s organising committee and a third-year student of History (Honours) from Ramjas.

Many students also set up stalls. Among them was GirledUpKawach, an organisation that aims to promote gender equality. “The funds we collect here will be used to buy sanitary napkins and will be distributed in bastis around Delhi… we will also educate women about menstrual health,” said Disha Goel, a second-year B.Com student who represented the organisation.

Another was set up by the Entrepreneurship Cell of Kamla Nehru College, with students promoting Project Kadam. “We collect denim from students in our college and give them to tailors and cobblers across the city, who make footwear out of them which we are presenting today at the fest. The money we earn by selling them will be distributed to them.”

Meanwhile, the AISA on Friday organised the People’s Literature Festival at DU’s Art Faculty. Professor Nandita Narain, who inaugurated the event, gave a rendition of ‘Hum Dekhenge’ by poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz.

The first session began with an open mic where various DU students recited poetry. In the second session, director Avinash Das interacted with students on the topic ‘Culture of resistance and Indian cinema’. Meena Kotwal, journalist and editor of Mooknayak, spoke on the topic ‘Media and caste. And historian and author S Irfan Habib addressed the gathering on how to reclaim people’s history from the RSS. Professor Apoorvanand spoke to students on academic freedom and said more free spaces should be created in universities and outside.