More than one hundred prominent poets, writers, thinkers, and media personalities are set to converge at Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) Deemed to be University for the two-day 3rd SOA Literary Festival, commencing this Saturday.
The festival, themed ‘Culture, Creativity and Artificial Intelligence’, will be inaugurated by Odisha Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati in the presence of legendary poet and lyricist Padma Bhushan Javed Akhtar.
Akhtar will be honoured during the inaugural ceremony with the first-ever SOA Sahitya Samman for his outstanding lifelong contribution to Indian cinema and literature. The annual award includes a cash prize of ₹7 lakh, a citation, a shawl, and a silver Goddess Saraswati idol.
Chief Minister Mr. Mohan Charan Majhi will grace the event on Sunday. The second day will also see the presentation of the SOA Yuva Sahitya Purashkar to young writer Suryasnata Tripathy for his short story collection, ‘Thia Puchi Naranga’.
Sessions will explore topics like 'AI in Art, Music and Literature,' 'Odia as a Classical Language,' and 'The Morality of Machines,' reflecting the intersection of tradition and technological advancement.