News Desk: The inaugural Nalanda Literature Festival (NLF) is to be held from 21–25 December 2025 at the Rajgir Convention Centre in Nalanda, Bihar. Organized by Jashn-e-Adab, the Centre for Indian Classical Dances, the Shining Muskan Foundation, and Dhanu Bihar, in collaboration with Nalanda University, the festival marks a major cultural milestone at one of the world’s oldest centres of learning. The first edition aims to celebrate India’s civilizational knowledge systems while creating a vibrant platform for literary and cultural exchange.
A standout feature of NLF 2025 is the introduction of a special North-East Section, designed to spotlight the region’s rich linguistic, literary, and cultural heritage. This segment aims to bring national attention to the intellectual depth of the North-East, with sessions covering tribal languages, inscriptional traditions, oral narratives, and the evolution of language families such as Assamese, Khasi, Bodo, Mizo, Manipuri (Meitei), Nagamese, and various Arunachali languages. The initiative also underscores the growing urgency of preserving the region’s endangered linguistic ecosystems.
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The North-East Section will feature an impressive lineup of scholars, writers, and cultural thinkers, including renowned linguist Prof. Upen Rabha Hakacham, Sahitya Akademi award-winning novelist Prof. Rita Chowdhury, celebrated writer Kuladhar Saikia, linguistics expert Dr. Madhumita Barbora, Padma Shri–winning author Arup Kumar Dutta, acclaimed Khasi poet-novelist Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih, Mizoram University professor K.C. Lalthlamuani, and eminent scholar Prof. Ganesh N. Devy. Their collective insights promise to make the North-East Section one of the festival’s most compelling intellectual showcases.
Adding to the cultural splendour, Padma Vibhushan Dr. Sonal Mansingh will participate in a book review session and deliver a special performance on the evening of 23 December, themed “Appo Deepa Bhava.”
The Nalanda Literature Festival will offer a vibrant mix of literary discussions, cultural performances, youth-oriented activities, and immersive experiences rooted in India’s age-old legacy of learning. Registrations and tickets are now open on the official NLF website and on BookMyShow.
