The two-day Kashmir Literature Festival began in Srinagar on Saturday, with Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha calling for the removal of what he described as a “colonial mindset” and urging writers to reclaim and present India’s “real history.”
The festival, being held at the SKICC in Srinagar, has brought together writers, poets, historians, researchers, and academicians from across the country for literary discussions, poetry sessions, and debates on history and culture.
‘India Failed to Write Its Own History’
In his inaugural address, Sinha said modern India had failed to properly preserve and communicate its own historical achievements, which, according to him, allowed distorted narratives to grow.
“Our ancestors, since the Vedic age, recorded facts and transmitted knowledge with great accuracy, but for various reasons modern times saw India lose the habit of writing its own history,” Sinha said.
He added, “We failed to communicate our priceless traditions, culture, knowledge and sciences, and that’s why many people claim that certain things came from elsewhere or were introduced by invaders. These assertions are baseless.”
Sinha argued that India’s intellectual and scientific contributions were often wrongly attributed to Persia or the Mughals and stressed the need to correct such historical claims.
Call to Remove ‘Colonial Mindset’
The Lieutenant Governor urged scholars and writers to play a greater role in reshaping historical narratives and challenging what he called distortions of India’s past.
“We must erase every trace of the colonial mindset and ensure that people abroad do not distort our history and present to serve their own narratives,” he said. “It is the responsibility of writers to correct such errors and take the truth to global readers.”
Referring to India’s ancient contributions, Sinha said the country laid the foundation for advancements in mathematics, science, astronomy, medicine, and philosophy.
“We must repeatedly remind the world that when the Vedas were composed thousands of years ago, India was the centre of economy, education, culture and philosophy,” he said.
Writers Can Shape Civilisations, Says LG
Sinha also highlighted the role of literature and creative expression in shaping societies, saying writers and scholars often leave a greater impact than institutions.
“Great poets, writers and creative minds become immortal through their knowledge and work. The human body is mortal, but creation becomes the symbol of immortality,” he said.
He remarked that even a single novel could influence society more deeply than large institutional efforts.
Drawing a comparison from Indian mythology, Sinha said India’s literary world was still discovering its own strength, similar to Hanuman before realising his powers.
Festival to Host Literary and Historical Discussions
The Kashmir Literature Festival, which concludes on Sunday, includes discussions on literature, poetry, history, and cultural identity, with participation from authors, historians, and researchers from different parts of India.
Sinha also rejected the idea that reading culture is declining, saying recent research suggested millions of books continue to be published globally every year.
“The doors have opened. We must use these platforms and mediums to build strong and positive narratives,” he said.
