Neev Literature Fest 23: Empowering India's children through literature

Sumit Bhattacharya | NT

Bengaluru: In a world where mirrors reflect personal experiences, windows offer new perspectives, and doors unlock imaginative worlds, the importance of children's literature cannot be understated.

Professor Rudine Sims Bishop reminds us that children need to see themselves in the stories they read. In India, the journey of children's literature is a relatively recent phenomenon, despite a rich tradition of adult literature.

However, access to quality children's books remains a challenge. Every year, the Neev Literature Festival takes place at Neev Academy, aiming to bridge this gap.

This year's festival saw enthusiastic participation from children, volunteers, and captivating stage performances. It was also a platform for book launches, with renowned filmmaker Devashish Makhija and author Chatura Rao in attendance.

This year, the theme of the event which took place at the Neev Academy in Yemalur in the city, was ‘What is childhood without stories?’. Devashish Makhija, known for his thought-provoking films, delivered a stirring address on the importance of taking action in the present.

He emphasized that contemplating the future alone wouldn't benefit society; it's the actions we take today that matter most. Speaking to News Trail, Devashish expressed the challenges of portraying changing societal realities in film.

"While Italian neorealism was once a guiding perspective, today's society demands something different," he said. He called for a collective effort to discover this new cinematic realism.

The Neev Literature Festival was initiated in 2017, followed by the introduction of the Neev Book Award in 2018. The goal was to discover and present exceptional children’s books that center around Indian experiences and stories.

Over the years, the festival has delved into thought-provoking themes such as ‘Partition: Memory and Memorialization’, ‘Peripheries: Boundaries on the Edge, Boundaries Within’, and ‘Embracing Diversity’.

While the festival primarily targets children over the age of 5, it also offers panel discussions and interactions for parents and educators. Sessions like ‘Post-pandemic parenting’, ‘Ecological mindspace’, ‘Books as connectors’, and ‘The future of talk’ are among the offerings for adults.