Our goal is to transform J&K into national knowledge hub: Lt Governor

Srinagar, Jul 18: Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha Saturday attended the third edition of Chinar Book Festival in Srinagar. The Lieutenant Governor congratulated the National Book Trust and the organizers for their commendable work.
“This festival is more than just an event. It is a movement to build a vibrant community of readers, writers, and thinkers. Our goal is to transform Jammu Kashmir into a national hub for knowledge, culture, and creativity. I hope this book festival will inspire the youth to read every day, protect endangered languages, and use literature as a way to value and respect diversity,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor said that books are like living conversations and they force us to think deeply, ask questions, challenge what we believe, and inspire us to grow.
“Nothing matches the power of writing. Combined with a strong imagination, it becomes a lasting strength. A vibrant book festival creates such environment and a welcoming space where literature becomes accessible, inspiring, and meaningful for everyone,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor also stated that in a very short span of time, the Chinar Book Festival has become a unique celebration of ideas, transforming into a vibrant intellectual movement across Jammu Kashmir.
“I believe writers and thinkers are like glowing lamps and blooming roses. In many ways, they mirror the majestic Chinar tree. In Kashmir, the Chinar is a living symbol of patience, beauty, and endurance. Writers and their books share this same lasting spirit, guiding human civilization through the ages. Together, we share the responsibility to restore Jammu Kashmir as a leading hub for education, literature, and youth empowerment,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor observed that Chinar Book Festival has become a strong national platform of ideas, debates and knowledge exchange. Its identity is no longer confined to stalls and book launches; it has become a means to generate new ideas, encourage dialogue and empower youth. He said in past editions, workshops, panel discussions and literary conversations have given new energy to Jammu Kashmir’s rich literary tradition.
“During this festival we have also witnessed an inspiring effort to revive our cultural heritage’s priceless treasure, the Sharada script. We have seen the spirit of “Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat” take shape through initiatives such as Tamil–Kashmiri dialogues, and today this festival has become a strong bridge linking regions, languages and generations,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor also emphasised that the success of a book festival should not be measured by sales figures.
“I believe the true success of any book festival lies in the ideas and conversations it generates. If a discussion that begins at this festival reaches a college or university, then our goal is successful. If a dialogue held here and the ideas that emerged during the festival become the basis for future collaborations, then I will consider the festival and its objectives successful. If a young person finds a book at this festival that changes the course of their life, that will be the greatest achievement of the Chinar Book Festival,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor urged youth to read at least one book beyond their textbooks every month, and he asked every young writer to resolve to write at least one page daily.
“Through the Chinar Book Festival we are ensuring that our children have roots to their identity as well as wings for future flight. I want to see this as a platform where local libraries and small-town book clubs also connect with the spirit of this festival, so that this celebration of knowledge reaches the public throughout the year and fosters exchanges among literary, musical and visual art forms, where words become voice, poetry takes color and stories become our shared experiences,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor visited various book stalls and interacted with the exhibitors. He released several publications in different languages. He also asked organisers to plan a similar book festival in Jammu
Atal Dulloo, Chief Secretary; Prof. Milind Sudhakar Marathe, Chairman, National Book Trust; Ram Niwas Sharma, Commissioner Secretary, School and Higher Education; Yuvraj Malik, Director, National Book Trust; Dr Amit Wanchoo, Chief Convener, Chinar Book Festival; Dr. Md. Shams Equbal, Director, National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language; eminent literary personalities, book lovers, youth and students in large number were present.
Dr Syed Darakhshan Andrabi, Chairperson, J&K Waqf Board; Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai, Vice Chancellor SKUAST Kashmir; Brij Mohan Sharma, Principal Secretary Culture; Akshay Labroo, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar; Dr. GV Sundeep Chakravarthy, SSP Srinagar; heads of various educational institutions and senior officials also attended the Chinar Book Festival.