Delhi, 21 February (H.S):Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the 98th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan at Vigyan Bhavan in Delhi. The program, being held after seven decades, will go on for three days, from February 21 to 23.
PM Modi was facilitated in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, National Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Renowned Marathi writer Tara Bhawalkar, and Sammelan president Usha Tambe.
The conference was first organised in Pune in May 1878 by Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade. In 1954, India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, was invited as a chief guest to inaugurate the program.
As Sharad Pawar arrived at the event,PM Modi personally ensured he was seated comfortably, adjusting his chair and pouring him a glass of water.
Expressing his love for the Marathi language, the prime minister said that it is “sweeter than nectar”.
“The Sammelan will be held from 21st to 23rd February and will host a diverse array of panel discussions, book exhibitions, cultural performances, and interactive sessions with eminent literary figures. The Sammelan will celebrate Marathi literature’s timeless relevance and explore its role in contemporary discourse, including themes of language preservation, translation, and the impact of digitalisation on literary works,” the PMO release read.
“The Marathi literary gathering being held in the national capital after 71 years also includes a symbolic literary train journey from Pune to Delhi, carrying 1,200 participants, showcasing the unifying spirit of literature. It will feature over 2,600 poetry submissions, 50 book launches, and 100 bookstalls, among others. Distinguished scholars, authors, poets, and literature enthusiasts from across the country will participate,” the release read.
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
