New Delhi, Feb 7 (.) The 14th edition of the Delhi Literature Festival (DLF) began on Saturday at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), Janpath, with an inaugural session centred on the theme ‘Sahitya, Sanskriti aur Samriddhi’.
The opening session was presided over by Speaker of the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta, who highlighted the role of literature in strengthening democratic values, encouraging critical thought, and preserving India’s civilisational heritage.
Spain’s Ambassador to India, Juan Antonio March Pujol, attended the event as the Guest of Honour. India and Spain mark 70 years of diplomatic relations.
In his address, the Ambassador spoke on the evolving relationship between literature, culture, and technology, including the growing impact of artificial intelligence on creative expression.
Chairperson of the Delhi Literature Festival, Bharati Bhargava, said, “The Delhi Literature Festival has always served as a vibrant meeting ground for literature, public life, and the exchange of ideas.”
She said this year’s theme reflects the integration of literary expression, cultural heritage, and progress, in line with the vision of ‘Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi’. Bhargava also noted that the festival will pay tribute to noted Hindi writer Vinod Kumar Shukla.
The inaugural evening also saw the presentation of the Delhi Literature Festival and Author Awards. The Delhi Literature Festival Awards 2025 were presented across 13 categories, along with recognition for emerging writers under the ‘Writers of the New Century’ initiative.
Day one concluded with a session on Truth Without Apology by Acharya Prashant, which drew significant audience participation.
The three-day festival, which runs until February 8, is open to the public free of charge. The programme features author discussions, poetry readings and thematic sessions, with participants including Seema Anand, Stuti Changle, Kevin Missal, Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri, Nilotpal Mrinal, Sachchidanand Joshi, Neha Sinha, and Shambhu Shikhar.
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