The second day of the 'Bhopal Literature and Art Festival' unfolded with a rapid series of events. Throughout the day, students from schools, colleges, and intellectuals actively participated in various programs held in most sections of Bharat Bhavan. <
While school children participated in art and painting competitions, winning several awards, college students took part in the 'Storytelling' class, sharing their narratives.In three auditoriums, authors and speakers discussed approximately 25 different topics, including the Bhagavad Gita, the development of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, law, poetry, urban development, and more. Writers expressed their views based on their interests, and people engaged in these sessions accordingly. The audience also actively participated in discussions with the speakers during this period.
In a session based on the knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita, a discussion took place with Vijay Agrawal and OP Srivastava. During this discussion, Shri Srivastava stated that the Bhagavad Gita attains the status of a high scripture. He emphasized that the Gita is not a scripture of any particular Hindu or religious denomination; rather, it is the scripture of humanity. Therefore, associating it with any specific religion or caste is incorrect. The Gita enlightens us about the world, actions, behavior, and nature, providing solutions to problems by understanding these concepts.Meanwhile, Vijay Agrawal elucidated the significance of the Gita in simple language, connecting it with the current context. He mentioned that the Gita is the world's first psychology book, defining religi
on solely as karma (action).
The book "The Last Smile" by Senior IAS Officer Amarjit Sinha was discussed by R Parshuram and Ved Arya. Sinha stated that the education level in India was on par with countries like South Korea, Japan, and China. Expressing concern over the status of women's education in the 1986-87 survey, he emphasized the need to focus on human development, education, and equal opportunities to make India developed by the year 2047. During the discussion, he highlighted the shift in India's economic situation post-COVID-19 and the resolution to move towards inclusive development, considering the 41.5 crore people who moved out of poverty as per NITI Aayog's survey. He also shed light on the involvement of 10 crore women in self-help groups through the Livelihood Mission, contributing to their economic empowerment."G-20 Chairmanship has allowed India to present its agenda to the world: Chinoy."The Director of the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses (IDSA), Sujan R. Chinoy, emphasized on India's role in shaping its geopolitical agenda through the chairmanship of the G-20 in the book "World Upside Down," authored by Pankaj Saran and Shishir Priyadarshi.During the discussion, Mr. Chinoy highlighted the importance of India's economic growth and stressed the significance of setting a global agenda through the presidency of the G-20. This strategic victory was seen as India's triumph in reshaping its geopolitical landscape.
Historian and curator Tasneem Zakaria Mehta, author of the book 'Mumbai: A City Through Objects,' discussed with Sunit Tandon. She mentioned that museums in India have undergone significant changes, particularly citing the example of the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum (BDL). She spoke about the possibility of such transformations, celebrating BDL's 150 years in 2022 by conducting in-depth research on its collections as a form of celebration. Tasneem also shared that the museum received UNESCO's highest award in 2005 for its restoration work.
In a conversation between Shivang Mehta and Aly Rashid moderated by Latika Nath, Shivang shed lights on the challenges he faces while working in India and Africa. He shared his dream of India becoming a Mecca of Wildlife.