Gangtok: Sikkim Education Minister Raju Basnet has urged young people to read more books to develop an independent outlook, asserting that "their mother tongue should never be seen as a barrier to the development of great ideas".
Addressing the opening day of the second three-day Sikkim Art and Literature Festival here on Wednesday, Basnet said books play a crucial role in the intellectual development of young people and can help them discover their own voices.
The minister also highlighted Sikkim's rich cultural and natural heritage, saying "its mountains hold countless stories and its land is endowed with natural resources, biodiversity, an organic way of life and a rich cultural legacy".
The festival, being held from October 28 to 30, opened with a series of cultural performances.
A girls' band from Eklavya Model Residential School in Gangyep enthralled the audience with renditions of John Denver's "Country Roads, Take Me Home" and classic Bollywood songs, including "Tum Dena Sath Mera" and "Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Yeh".
The Cultural Department of the Sikkim government presented a Broadway-style dance drama highlighting the unity and cultural heritage of the state's Bhutia, Lepcha and Nepali communities.
Renowned historian and author William Dalrymple participated in a session titled "A Life in History" in conversation with Tashi Chopel.
The opening day's concluded with ghazal performances by members of the Aagaaz group.
Organised on the initiative of Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, the festival is presented by the Students' Welfare Board and the Education Department of the Sikkim government. Teamwork Arts, the producer of the Jaipur Literature Festival, is producing the event.
The literary programme features several prominent writers, including Mamang Dai, Ranjit Hoskote, Nabaraj Parajuli, Stephen Alter, Chuden Kabimo, Yuvan Aves and Guru T Ladhakhi.
Music will be a major attraction during the three-day event, with performances spanning ghazals, instrumental music, folk songs and contemporary fusion.
Karthikeya and Makarand, along with Indian Ocean, are scheduled to perform on October 29, while Magda Khan and her group and Neeraj Arya's Kabir Cafe will take the stage on October 30.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.