Kashmir Literature Festival-2026: Writers shape civilizations, not institutions, says LG Manoj Sinha
Srinagar, May 30: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday said writers, poets and scholars play a greater role in shaping civilizations than institutions, as he inaugurated the two-day Kashmir Literature Festival-2026 at SKICC Srinagar.
Addressing writers, researchers, historians, academicians and literary figures during the inaugural session, the Lieutenant Governor welcomed all guests who had arrived in Jammu & Kashmir from outside the Union Territory and said he was confident they would “feel and witness” the cultural, intellectual and literary depth of Kashmir during the festival being held on May 30 and 31.
“I welcome everyone who has come to Jammu & Kashmir from outside. I am confident that during these two days, you will not only see but also deeply feel the literary, cultural and intellectual soul of this land,” Sinha said.
The Lieutenant Governor said India’s literary world has still not fully realised or expressed the strength of the country’s civilizational knowledge and heritage.
“India’s literary world is still like Hanuman Ji before realising his own strength. Just as Hanuman was reminded of his powers before crossing Lanka, our literary and intellectual community too must realise the depth of India’s civilizational strength and present it to the world,” he said.
Calling writers immortal through their creations, Sinha said great poets, authors and creators never die because their works continue to inspire generations.
“Great poets, writers and creative minds become immortal through their knowledge and work. The human body is mortal, but creation becomes the symbol of immortality,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor said he had witnessed many occasions where institutions spent crores of rupees but failed to create the impact that a single novel or literary work could create.
“I have seen institutions spending crores, yet failing to create the impact that one novel can create in society. Literature has the power to influence minds and generations in ways institutions often cannot,” he said.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech from the Red Fort, Sinha said the time had come to completely erase the colonial mindset and reclaim India’s true historical narrative.
“Some time ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, from the Red Fort, said that the time has come to remove the colonial mindset. We must ensure that our history is not presented in a distorted manner,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor said scholars and researchers must work towards taking authentic history to local readers and future generations.
“We must repeatedly remind the world that when many parts of the world were struggling in darkness, India was a major centre of science, culture and knowledge,” he said.
Sinha said India laid the foundations of mathematics, science and astronomy that later influenced the western world.
“India gave the world the foundations of mathematics, science and astronomy. Several civilizations learned from India’s knowledge systems,” he said.
