Excelsior Correspondent
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— Excelsior/ Amin War
JAMMU, Sept 6: Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, organized ‘Children Literature Programme’ in Jammu today.
It was a wonderful experience for over 70 children of Jammu to sit face to face with prominent Dogri writers and poets and enjoy elegant stories and enlightening poetry composed by them in their mother tongue.
This splendid opportunity was provided to these school children by the Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi by organizing a special Children Literature Programme at JRC Home for Handicapped, Udheywala Jammu.
Gianeshwar Sharma enthralled the children belonging to various schools of the locality with his bewitching stories. Gianeshwar, a Sahitya Akademi Awardee, narrated his two stories specially written for the children.
Dr Bansi Lal Sharma, a Dogri lyricist and poet, who has children poetry book to his credit and known for his witty and humorous style, recited few poems on good manners, human values etc. His poems fascinated and enlightened the children. Some children also recited their poems.
Earlier, Shantanu Gangopadhyay, representing Sahitya Akademi, threw light on the purpose of this programme. Chhatrapal, Member, Advisory Board for Dogri in Sahitya Akademi and well-known prose writer and Secretary JRC Home, conducted the programme. He said that Sahitya Akademi has recently started such programmes in Dogri to imbibe literary taste and love for mother tongue in the formative minds of children. Though Dogri has sprawling and rich oral tradition of folk literature, the children should also supplement their literary aptitude by reading and listening Dogri stories and poems. The Sahitya Akademi has instituted a Bal Sahitya Puraskar to promote children literature in Indian languages including Dogri.
He also presented vote of thanks. Many renowned Dogri writers, poets and artists were present on this occasion.