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SAARC poets meet inaugurated

Correspondent

BHUBANESWAR: Governor M. C. Bhandare has called upon the writers to be the messengers of change. He has further emphasised on the relevance of “cultural connectivity in the times of terror”.

Opening the SAARC young poets’ meet here on Friday, Mr.Bhandare hoped that the interactions among the poets would benefit them and the member nations, and also enrich the realm of poetry. “Youths and poetry have always been closer to my heart,” he confided as he recited a poem penned by his 12-year-old granddaughter specially for him following her first visit to Orissa recently much to the cheer of the gathering.

Mr. Bhandare’s address offered glimpses of the cultural and literary legacy of Orissa down the ages. And he also remembered with reverence a large number of poets that included the visually impaired Bhima Bhoi whose immortal couplet on the suffering of humanity he loved to recite for the occasion. Addressing the gathering, Jnanapeeth awardee prominent Oriya writer Mr.Sitakant Mohapatra dwelt on the timelessness of poetry while Vice-Chancellor of the Ravenshaw University Mr.Debdas Chhotray also spoke on identical theme. Eminent Punjabi writer and founder-president of the Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature Padma Shri Ajeet Kaur elaborated the objectives of the meet, being hosted here in association with the Ravenshaw University, Cuttack and Sambalpur-based NGO Bharat Integrated Social Welfare Agency. The festival has featured about 60 young poets from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Maldives.

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