A galaxy of nearly 100 eminent litterateurs from different parts will join a single platform to discuss the contemporary trends in Indian literature as the first SOA Literary Festival is scheduled to kick off here on Saturday.

The SOA Centre for Preservation, Propagation and Restoration of Ancient Culture and Heritage of India (PPRACHIN), a SOA initiative aiming at preservation, propagation and restoration of the country’s rich heritage and culture, is organising the event.

The literary figures expected to participate in the festival include Dr Vasdev Mohi, eminent Sindhi poet who has been conferred with the prestigious Saraswati Samman this year, Dr Sitanshu Yashaschandra, Dr Jayanta Mohapatra, Dr Pratibha Ray, Dr Ramakant Rath, Dr Sitakanta Mahapatra, Dr Vikram Sampath, Chitra Mudgal, Dr Dnyaneshwar Mulay, HS Shivaprakash, Jayant Parmar, Ashok Maheshwari, Arun Kamal, Brajendra Tripathi, Dr Rita Nath Keshari, Dr Ranu Unyal,  AJ Thomas, Udayan Vajpeyi, Amandeep Sandhu, Rajendra Kishore Panda, Dr Soubhagya Kumar Mishra, Kuldeep Kumar, Yashodhara Ray Choudhury, Haraprasad Das,  KR Meera, Nirmal Kanti Bhattacharjee and Dr Rajendra Prasad Mishra.

The event, which will have 26 sessions spread over the two days, will also feature Odia film personalities like Sabyasachi Mohapatra, Anu Choudhury, Akash Das Nayak and Akhyay Parija.

Odia author Tarun Kanti Mishra and Santali writer Kali Charan Hembram, who have been nominated for the Kendriya Sahitya Akademi award for 2019, will be felicitated on the first day, she said, adding that there would also be ‘Face to Face’ sessions as well.