New Delhi, Dec 29 (IANS) Delhi Art and Culture Minister Kapil Mishra announced on Monday that the Department and a publishing house will jointly organise the country’s largest literature and cultural festival, Delhi Shabdotsav, on January 2, 3 and 4 at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium.

“The Delhi Government is organising the country’s largest cultural and literary festival on January 2, 3, and 4. From now on, it will be held annually under the Ministry of Culture and branded as the ‘Delhi Shabdotsav’,” Mishra told reporters.

The event will feature over 100 prominent speakers, including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Sunil Ambekar, Manmohan Vaidya and Sachchidanand Joshi, along with more than 40 book releases, six cultural performances, and two poets’ meets.

“Students from the nearly 40 universities from Delhi NCR will also participate in the cultural event,” he said.

Mishra said the event will feature programmes like Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Bhajan Sandhya, Kavi Sammelan and Somnath Jyotirlinga Darshan.

Delhi Chief Minister M Rekha Gupta will inaugurate the festival, while Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami and Chhattisgarh Home Minister Vijay Sharma will also attend.

Mishra said CM Gupta has directed to development of the proposed annual event into a big brand so that global participants are also invited to join it.

Rajiv Tuli, a member of the organising team, said the event will include six bands and promote the Indian cultural and spiritual rejuvenation.

“One of the purposes of the event is to de-colonise the mind construct and energy of the country’s Gen Z,” he said, adding that this is the reason why students from 40 universities will be engaged in the festival.

He said a similar event has been organised in Kashi over the past three years, and the Delhi event is modelled on it.

The organiser said a food festival, serving Delhi delicacies, will also be organised.

The entry to the festival will be free, but for ease of entry, visitors are requested to register through QR codes.

“We have also appointed campus ambassadors in Delhi University colleges, and a massive contact campaign is also being planned through social media,” he said.

–IANS

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