Kolkata/IBNS: The 10th edition of Apeejay Bangla Sahitya Utsob (ABSU), a Bengali literary festival, commenced on Friday.

Literary luminaries Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay and Subodh Sarkar, alongside Festival Director and CEO of Oxford Bookstores, Swagat Sengupta inaugurated the festival at the iconic bookstore.

The festival's 10th edition tagline was also unveiled, celebrating a decade of literary excellence.

The inaugural session was followed by a captivating discussion featuring creative luminaries from diverse fields.

Titled 'Bengali Classical Language: Boon or Bane?', the session brought together distinguished panellists such as Dr. Swati Guha, Director, Institute for Language Studies and Research (ILSR); Anupam Roy, singer-songwriter, music director, poet, and writer; Pracheta Gupta, writer and journalist; Kiran Dutta (The Bong Guy), content creator; and Amitava Das, professor at ILSR.

Panel discussion at Oxford Bookstore, Kolkata | Photo courtesy: PR Team

Festival Highlights

1. Centenary Tribute to Cinematic Pioneers: Celebrating the 100th birth anniversaries of iconic filmmakers Mrinal Sen and Tapan Sinha, whose ground-breaking works have shaped the world of cinema.

2. Literary Tribute: Commemorating the 100th birth anniversary of renowned writer Narayan Sanyal, whose profound literary works have enriched Bengali literature and continue to inspire generations.

3.Language Celebration: Showcasing the rich tapestry of Bangla Bhasha, recognized as Dhrupadi Bhasha, through captivating discussion session.

4. Diverse Sessions: Exploring a wide array of topics, from the enchanting world of children's literature, the complexities of politics, the magic of cinema, the power of poetry, the thrill of sports, and the delights of gastronomy.