Chinar Book Festival 2025: J&K L-G calls it a movement, not just an event
Synopsis
At the third Chinar Book Festival in Srinagar, J&K L-G Manoj Sinha reframed what a regional literary event can be — not a book fair, but a movement. With calls to revive the Sharada script, expand Tamil-Kashmiri cultural dialogue, and now replicate the festival in Jammu, the event is quietly becoming one of the more ambitious soft-power projects in the Union Territory.
Key Takeaways
J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha attended the third edition of the Chinar Book Festival in Srinagar on 18 July .
He described the festival as 'a movement to build a vibrant community of readers, writers and thinkers,' not merely an event.
The National Book Trust was commended for its role in organising the festival.
The L-G highlighted efforts to revive the Sharada script and foster Tamil-Kashmiri dialogues under Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat .
He released several publications in different languages and asked organisers to plan a similar festival in Jammu .
Youth were urged to read at least one book beyond textbooks every month and young writers to write one page daily .
Jammu & Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday, 18 July attended the third edition of the Chinar Book Festival in Srinagar, describing it as far more than a cultural gathering — calling it a movement to build a vibrant community of readers, writers and thinkers across the region.
What the L-G Said
'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 and Kashmir into a national hub for knowledge, culture and creativity,' Sinha said at the event. He urged the youth to read at least one book beyond their textbooks every month and asked young writers to commit to writing at least one page daily.
He also drew a vivid parallel between writers and the iconic Chinar tree: 'Writers and thinkers are like glowing lamps and blooming roses. In many ways, they mirror the majestic Chinar tree, a living symbol of patience, beauty and endurance.'
Key Highlights of the Festival
The National Book Trust and the organisers received special commendation from Sinha for their work in growing the festival into what he described as a strong national platform for ideas, debates and knowledge exchange. The L-G noted that in a short span of time, the festival has evolved well beyond stalls and book launches into a broader intellectual movement across J&K.
He visited book stalls, interacted with exhibitors, and released several publications in different languages during his time at the event.
Cultural and Literary Initiatives
The L-G highlighted past editions where workshops, panel discussions and literary conversations gave fresh energy to J&K's rich literary tradition. He pointed specifically to efforts to revive the Sharada script and to initiatives such as Tamil-Kashmiri dialogues under the Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat programme — signalling the festival's role in bridging regional cultures.
Sinha also emphasised that the success of a book festival should not be measured by sales figures alone, but by the ideas and conversations it generates.
What's Next
In a notable development, the L-G asked organisers to plan a similar festival in Jammu, suggesting an ambition to extend the Chinar Book Festival's reach beyond the Kashmir Valley. 'Through the Chinar Book Festival we are ensuring that our children have roots to their identity as well as wings for future flight,' he said, offering a forward-looking vision for the initiative.
Point of View
Anchoring public identity around literature, endangered scripts like Sharada, and cross-regional dialogues is a form of soft governance. The push to extend the festival to Jammu suggests an intent to make it a J&K-wide institution — but the real test will be whether the intellectual energy generated at panels and workshops translates into sustained literary output and readership beyond the festival calendar. Measuring success by 'ideas generated' rather than books sold is a worthy metric; holding organisers accountable to it is harder.
NationPress
18 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Chinar Book Festival?
The Chinar Book Festival is an annual literary event held in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, organised in collaboration with the National Book Trust. Now in its third edition, it features book stalls, panel discussions, workshops, and publication launches aimed at promoting reading culture and literary exchange across J&K.
What did J&K L-G Manoj Sinha say at the Chinar Book Festival 2025?
L-G Manoj Sinha called the festival 'a movement to build a vibrant community of readers, writers and thinkers' and said J&K's goal is to become a national hub for knowledge, culture and creativity. He urged youth to read one book beyond textbooks monthly and asked young writers to write at least one page daily.
What cultural initiatives were highlighted at the festival?
The L-G highlighted efforts to revive the Sharada script and Tamil-Kashmiri cultural dialogues conducted under the Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat programme, positioning the festival as a platform for preserving endangered languages and fostering inter-regional cultural ties.
Will the Chinar Book Festival expand to Jammu?
Yes, L-G Manoj Sinha asked organisers to plan a similar festival in Jammu, indicating plans to extend the event beyond the Kashmir Valley to cover the entire Union Territory.
Why does the L-G say book festival success should not be measured by sales?
Sinha argued that the true value of a literary festival lies in the ideas and conversations it generates, not in commercial transactions. He emphasised that workshops, debates and literary dialogues — not sales figures — are the markers of a meaningful book festival.
