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Mahakumbh of Books Begins: 4th Gomti Book Festival Inaugurated in Lucknow by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath
Lucknow | 20 September, 2025: An air of excitement filled the University of Lucknow today as the 4th Gomti Book Festival opened its doors, welcoming book lovers to a vibrant celebration that has become one of the largest literary festivals in India. Organised by the National Book Trust, India (Ministry of Education, Government of India) in collaboration with the Government of Uttar Pradesh and the University of Lucknow, the festival was inaugurated on 20 September 2025 by Hon’ble Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Yogi Adityanath.
The inaugural ceremony was also graced by Guest of Honour, Shri Yogendra Upadhyay, Hon’ble Minister of Higher Education, Government of Uttar Pradesh, along with Shri Awanish K Awasthi, Advisor to Hon’ble Chief Minister; Padma Shri Awardee, actor and director Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi; Prof. Milind Sudhakar Marathe, Chairman, NBT-India; Prof. Manuka Khanna, Vice Chancellor, University of Lucknow; and Shri Yuvraj Malik, Director, NBT-India.
Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Yogi Adityanath interacted with schoolchildren, presenting books to students and Anganwadi workers to emphasize the importance of reading. In his keynote address, the Hon’ble Chief Minister praised the National Book Trust for consistently carrying forward the tradition of the Gomti Book Festival. “Reading and progressing has always been India’s tradition and the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s idea of ‘When Citizens Read, the Country Leads’ guides this very message. I urge students to cultivate the habit of reading books apart from their textbooks. A good book can become a true guide that can propel our lives forward. I appeal to all children of Lucknow to visit the Gomti Book Festival and ensure that each one of them takes home one book from the festival,” the Hon’ble Chief Minister said, after visiting bookstalls.
The Hon’ble Chief Minister also announced that the upcoming Gorakhpur Book Festival, to be organised by the National Book Trust in collaboration with the Government of Uttar Pradesh, will be held in the first week of November.
He urged students to connect with books instead of spending long hours on smartphones. “For the next 9 days, we will witness the Mahakumbh of books at Lucknow University. There are over 20,000 students in the university and I urge every one of them to buy at least one book from the Gomti Book Festival,” he added.
During the event, Prof. Milind Sudhakar Marathe, President of the National Book Trust, India, advised holding weekly group reading sessions to promote reading culture in India. Renowned author, filmmaker and historian Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi, best known for directing and starring in the 1991 television epic Chanakya, discussed the importance of Vedic literature and literature, citing the example of Nalanda, stating that “the flames of fire cannot destroy knowledge.” In his address, Hon’ble Minister of Higher Education, Government of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Yogendra Upadhyay, spoke about the new National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) and inclusive reading materials, emphasizing the need to use printed books.
The closing remarks and vote of thanks were presented by Shri Yuvraj Malik, Director of National Book Trust, India. “With the collaboration of the National Book Trust and the State Government, Uttar Pradesh has distributed more books than any other state in India. Uttar Pradesh is leading the campaign for a library in every village. Knowledge brings us all together and within every person resides a book lover, a writer and an artist. I urge you to come to the Gomti Book Festival and awaken that part of you,” he said.
The literary segment of the day included a thought-provoking discussion on the book “Stree: Deh Se Aage” by writer and editor Gulab Kothari. Talking with Yogita Yadav, the author spoke at length about the book’s creative process and content while citing excerpts from Vedic literature, their relevance to the gender roles in the present day world. The second session was a book discussion on “Kim and Krishna” by Neeraj Vashisth, which tells the story of an Indian boy and a North Korean girl who fall in love in Thailand. In conversation with Shobha Kapoor, the author discussed the similarities in culture between India and Southeast Asia that inspired the story of his book. The day ended on a high note with a mesmerising performance of classical instrumental ragas by Bhatkhande Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya.
With over 225 publishers showcasing titles in multiple Indian languages at more than 200 bookstalls, thousands made their way to Gomti Book Festival on Day 1. In addition, visitors will be able to experience the Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya, India’s national digital library, which offers free access to over 3,000 e-books across genres and Indian languages. Book lovers can enjoy special discounts of up to 10% on NBT titles by registering through the REP app.
As the festival continues till 28 September, from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM (free entry), offering workshops, author interactions, children’s activities and cultural performances, it promises to continue the journey of ideas, creativity, literature and culture.
