Lucknow, Sept 12: The fifth Gomti Book Festival-2026 commenced on Saturday at Lucknow University following an inaugural address by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Running from September 12 to 20, the festival brings together major publishing houses, including Rajkamal Prakashan, Divyansh Publication, and Hind Yugm, to offer books spanning dozens of regional and national languages.
National Book Trust officials maintained that the festival serves as an inclusive platform connecting literature with contemporary dialogue. The schedule includes interactive panels on subjects ranging from space science to women’s identity, highlighted by a dedicated interaction between school students and astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla. Visitors will also have access to a special National Book Trust exhibition commemorating 150 years of the national song Vande Mataram alongside demonstrations of the National e-Library digital repository.
Cultural showcases curated by institutions like the Birju Maharaj Kathak Sansthan and the Bharatendu Natya Akademi will take place every evening. Event coordinators declared that the multi-faceted programming, workshops, and open access are designed to nurture reading habits among young generations while highlighting the artistic heritage of the state.
