The much-anticipated 5th edition of the Dehradun Literature Festival (DDLF) was officially unveiled during a press conference. This literary extravaganza is poised to grace the city from October 27th to 29th, spread across two distinctive venues – Doon International School (Riverside Campus) and Hyatt Regency Dehradun Resort & Spa.
At the media briefing, Samraant Virmani, the Founder and Producer of DDLF, remarked, “In a time when literary festivals were flourishing across the nation, Dehradun needed its platform for the literary community. As a newly formed state and the educational hub of the country, we recognized the need to provide exposure for our student community. Hence, in 2017, DDLF came into being, swiftly evolving into a shared cultural asset, not just for Dehradun but for all of Uttarakhand."
The inaugural day of DDLF at Doon International School (Riverside Campus) will witness a stellar lineup of literary luminaries, including Nobel Prize Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, Ruskin Bond, Ashok Chakradhar, Dr. Bibek Debroy, Gurcharan Das, Hindol Sengupta, and many more.
The highlight of this year's DDLF is the collaboration with the esteemed Agatha Christie Festival, which recently concluded in the United Kingdom. The festival will send a representative, Dr. Mark Aldridge, an author and Agatha Christie expert, marking its inaugural presence at an Indian literary gathering.
In another significant development, DDLF will honor Gaura Pant, also known as Shivani, a literary legend from Uttarakhand, during her birth centenary year by introducing an award in her memory. Named the "Shivani – Iron Lady of the Hills" award, it carries a cash prize of Rs. 25,000. It recognizes the remarkable achievements of prominent female authors who write in Hindi and consistently emphasize women in their literary works. The festival also hosts an annual writing competition, inviting manuscripts in two categories: "Budding Writers" and "Promising Writers." The prestigious "Ruskin Bond Literary Award" is personally conferred by renowned author Ruskin Bond.
Samraant elaborated, "DDLF is a carefully curated festival designed to facilitate a convergence of ideas, dialogues, domains, and icons. This year, we're going global while celebrating our heritage by bringing together two outstanding women writers – Agatha Christie and Shivani Ji. Dr. Aldridge will delve into Christie's legacy, and we will honor Shivani Ji's memory with the Iron Lady of the Hills Award."
Notably, celebrated Indian filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj is a prominent patron and advisor to the Dehradun Literature Festival. His recent OTT release, "Charlie Chopra and the Mystery of the Solang Valley," is based on Christie's novel "The Sittaford Mystery." Bhardwaj expressed his excitement for this year's DDLF, stating, "I've witnessed DDLF grow stronger with each passing year. The Agatha Christie sessions will be a highlight, and I look forward to discussing this immortal mystery writer with the audience."
Heather Norman-Soderlind, Chair of the Agatha Christie Festival, added, "We are thrilled to have a presence at DDLF this year, featuring the distinguished Agatha Christie scholar, Dr. Mark Aldridge. Our goal is to foster a deeper appreciation for Christie's timeless works among festival attendees."
This edition of DDLF promises a diverse array of renowned literary figures from various domains, including literature, culture, cinema, and public life. The list includes Wasim Barelvi, Dr. Tanaya Narendra, Geet Chaturvedi, Imtiaz Ali, Sobhita Dhulipala, Muzzafar Ali, Samir Soni, Saurabh Dwivedi, Aditi Maheshwari, Akshat Gupta, Swastika Mukherjee, Swapna Liddle, Satya Vyas, Yatindra Mishra, and Purushottam Agrawal.
HS Mann, the Director of Doon International School, expressed his enthusiasm for hosting DDLF at DIS, noting, "We are delighted to host the Dehradun Literature Festival at Doon International School. It is a significant event for our students, providing them with a unique opportunity to engage with some of the brightest minds in literature, culture, and cinema. This festival inspires and enriches the literary spirit of our community."
Randhir Arora, Owner of Book World, shared insights into the topics of discussion at the forthcoming DDLF, saying, "This edition of DDLF will feature discussions on vital subjects such as poetry, cinema, media, food, mental and physical well-being, body autonomy, artificial intelligence, language, history, creativity cityscapes, and more. The three-day festival will also offer several free workshops, including a Theatre workshop by Imtiaz Ali, a Poetry workshop by Nayab Midha, and a Mystery writing workshop by Dr. Mark Aldridge, among others."
Entry to DDLF will be entirely free, and those interested in attending can secure passes by registering at www.dehradunliteraturefestival.com. The press conference also featured Dr. Ruby Gupta, a Writer and Professor at IMA, and Sunishchal Parasnis from Hyatt Regency Dehradun Resort & Spa.
