9-day event to feature 200+ publishers, book launches
Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will inaugurate the third edition of the Chinar Book Festival at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC), Srinagar, on July 18, with the nine-day literary event set to bring together over 200 publishers, authors, artists and readers from across the country until July 26.
Organised by the National Book Trust (NBT), India, under the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the District Administration Srinagar and the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL), the festival will transform the SKICC into one of Jammu and Kashmir’s largest literary and cultural hubs, with books in English, Urdu, Kashmiri, Hindi and several other Indian languages on display.
The inauguration will be attended by senior officials of the District Administration, School Education Department, Higher Education Department, NCPUL and the National Book Trust.
Ahead of the festival, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Akshay Labroo on Thursday flagged off a “Shikarathon” on Dal Lake as a literary prelude to the event. During a press conference, officials also unveiled the festival’s tagline, “Together We Read, Together We Lead” (Mil Kar Padhenge, Mil Kar Badhenge), underscoring the campaign to promote reading as a community movement.
Addressing the media, NBT Director Yuvraj Malik said the festival will host literary discussions, author interactions, book launches, workshops, storytelling sessions, children’s activities and cultural performances aimed at strengthening the reading culture in Jammu and Kashmir.
The inaugural ceremony will witness the release of An Indian Muslim Speaks by noted scholar Dr. Hafeezur Rahman and the launch of 24 bilingual books prepared through the first-ever Gojri Translation Workshop held during the 2025 edition of the festival.
Another major attraction will be the release of the first set of novels developed under the Rajtarangini Workshop, inspired by Kalhana’s historic chronicle and designed to introduce Kashmir’s rich historical legacy to contemporary readers.
The organisers said the festival will feature dedicated sessions on journalism, multilingual education, Urdu literature, Kashmiriyat, women’s leadership, public policy, environment, cinema, crafts and youth, besides Mushairas, Sufiyana performances and cultural evenings.
A Children’s Corner and a Digital Reading Corner will also be set up, while visitors will have access to the Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya, offering thousands of free e-books.
One of the major highlights will be the 5K Reading Run, themed “Together We Read, Together We Lead,” which is being organised under Shiksha Saptah 2026 as an official India Book of Records and Asia Book of Records attempt and is expected to attract thousands of schoolchildren.
The festival will also mark the launch of a children’s comic book jointly developed by Bisleri and the National Book Trust, with 20,000 copies to be distributed among schoolchildren across Jammu and Kashmir.
Deputy Commissioner Akshay Labroo described the Chinar Book Festival as more than a book fair, calling it a comprehensive knowledge platform where visitors can interact with noted authors, artists, actors, scientists and experts from diverse fields.
He said books on science, technology, engineering, literature and other disciplines would be available under one roof and appealed to students, readers, artists and people interested in literature, cinema, science and astronomy to visit the festival and “come and witness the best of the country.”
The National Book Trust has invited readers, students, educators, writers and families to participate in the festival and celebrate the joy of books against the scenic backdrop of Kashmir.
