Agra: Agra, the city of the Taj, is all set to witness a vibrant confluence of literature, cinema and music on January 10 and 11. Organised by the Goyenka Sahitya Academy at GD Goenka Public School, the two-day International Taj Literary Festival will bring together renowned writers, poets, artists and distinguished personalities from India and abroad, promising an unforgettable cultural experience for literature lovers.
The festival will feature the presence of popular Bollywood actor Rajpal Yadav, noted film lyricist Panchhi Jalaunvi, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and eminent author Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, international poet Dr Wala Jamal, and The Kapil Sharma Show fame poetess Mumtaz Naseem. Their participation across various sessions is expected to add immense charm and prestige to the grand literary stage of the Taj Literary Festival.
Sharing details during the invitation release ceremony at the venue, Festival Convenor poet Pawan Agari and Coordinator Principal Puneet Vashishth informed that the festival will be held on January 10 from 2 pm to 7 pm and on January 11 from 10 am to 7 pm. The event will host multiple sessions focusing on literature, education, cinema and music, where celebrated personalities will share the stage with emerging writers and future stars.
A special session titled “The Path of the Pen: From Creation to Administration” will see senior administrative officers associated with literature presenting their poetic works, while “Viral Manch ke Shabd Sadhak” will highlight well-known faces from the digital and virtual world. These sessions will be anchored by renowned TV anchors Anurag Muskan, Pankaj Sharma, Piyush Pandey and Dr Kumar Manoj.
The inaugural ceremony will be graced by Divisional Commissioner Shailendra Kumar Singh, State Women’s Commission Chairperson Babita Chauhan, and DIG Shailesh Kumar Pandey. Union Minister of State Prof S.P. Singh Baghel, as the host Member of Parliament, will later honour the visiting celebrities along with actor Rajpal Yadav.
The presence of senior IAS officers Dr Hari Om (Lucknow), Pawan Kumar (Delhi), Dr Akhilesh Mishra (Lucknow) and Alok Yadav (Delhi) will further enhance the stature of the festival. Organising Committee President Sanjay Agrawal, Mentor Puran Dawar, Patron Suresh Chandra Garg and Advisor Kuldeep Thakur have extended an open invitation to all literature enthusiasts, students and culture lovers to be part of this grand celebration.
Programme Schedule
January 10
2:00 pm: Inauguration
2:30 pm: Goyenka Sahitya Ratna Award to actor Rajpal Yadav
3:30 pm onwards: Journey of Songs and Ghazals
5:30 pm: Interaction on Film, Literature and Music with Rajpal Yadav
7:00 pm: Book Launch and Memento Ceremony
January 11
10:00 am: Opening Session
10:30 am: Goyenka Sahitya Academy Award to Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, founder of “Lekhak Gaon”
11:00 am: Literature, Education and Politics – Education गौरव Award
12:00 noon: The Path of the Pen – From Creation to Administration
2:00 pm: Emerging Stars of Writing
3:00 pm: Viral Manch ke Shabd Sadhak
4:00 pm: Stars on the Ground – The True Flight of Creativity
5:00 pm: Sartaj of Shayari – An Evening of Poetry
6:30 pm: Shining Stars of Taj City
7:00 pm: Book Recognition Award
The International Taj Literary Festival is poised to add a glorious chapter to Agra’s cultural landscape, celebrating the power of words, creativity and artistic harmony.
