Pushkar Singh Dhami
Credit:X/@pushkardhami
Dehradun: The country's first 'Writer's village' was jointly inaugurated by former President Ram Nath Kovind, Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen Gurmeet Singh (retd) and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami here on Friday.
Located in Thano village, about 24 km from Dehradun, the ‘Writer’s village’ is the brainchild of former chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, a distinguished writer himself.
He claims that in this village, writers will get a calm and creative environment necessary for the creation of their works.
On this occasion, during the three-day International Literature, Culture and Art Festival 'Sparsh Himalaya Mahotsav-2024', the first work of Writer's village, 'Ram in the Himalayas', written by Nishank, was also released.
Former President Kovind described the village as an innovative initiative towards resolving the practical difficulties faced by writers, poets, litterateurs and other creative workers and praised Nishank for this.
He expressed confidence that the Writer's village will emerge as a tourist destination in the future because of its uniqueness.
This platform is a golden opportunity for writers who have the ability to show the society a new path through their words, the governor said.
Uttarakhand has been the birthplace of many learned writers and the creativity embedded in the atmosphere of ‘Lekhak Gaon’ will inspire many writers and poets, Singh said.
"Devbhoomi Uttarakhand has been a wonderful centre of creativity for centuries and the vastness of the mountains here, the purity of the Ganges and the unique natural beauty have always inspired writers, poets and thinkers," Chief Minister Dhami said.
He expressed hope that writers and artists from across the country and abroad will exchange their views in the ongoing festival.
Central Board of Film Certification Chairman Prasoon Joshi, who was present at the function, said for a creative environment, a secluded place like Writer's Village is needed where you can immerse yourself in your own existence and extract the pearls.
Nishank said all the arrangements have been made in the Writer's Village like Lekhan Kutir, Sanjeevani Vatika, Nakshatra and Navgrah Vatika, library, art gallery, auditorium, yoga-meditation centre, discussion centre, beautiful museum of Ganga and Himalaya, restaurant and so on.
He said that people associated with writing, art and culture from more than 65 countries are participating in it directly and indirectly, out of which people from 40 countries have come here.