“Make Friends with Children and Instill Values” – Dr. Suraj Singh Negi

Udaipur The 16th National Children’s Literature Conference, organized under the joint aegis of Salila Sanstha Salumber and Rajasthan Sahitya Academy Udaipur, unfolded with deep resonance at the Directorate of Adult Education, Udaipur Division. The technical session was presided over by eminent litterateur, senior IAS officer, and pioneer of the Pati Lekhan Muhim, Dr. Suraj Singh Negi.

In his presidential address, Dr. Negi reflected on the perils of the digital age: “Children today are becoming enslaved to mobile screens under the overpowering influence of social media. What they truly need are living ideals to emulate. Instead of allowing them to drift into the virtual void, let us guide them towards writing, speaking, and reading. Befriend children, nurture them with values, and let children’s literature become the beacon of this noble journey.”

The chief guest of the session, Dr. Sanjeev Kumar, President of India Netbooks, emphasized the need for families to create a dedicated fund within their budgets for the purchase of books, thereby making literature a conscious investment.

On this occasion, Meenu Tripathi and Zeeshan Haider Zaidi were conferred with the prestigious Sahitya Ratna Samman. The session was gracefully conducted by Vimla Nagla.

A highlight of the day was the felicitation of the Top-10 winners of the Children’s Song Competition, where distinguished voices such as Yashwant Kumar Sharma (Pahuna), Dr. Faheem Ahmed (Sambhal), Neelam Mukesh Verma (Jhunjhunu), Anita Gangadhar Sharma (Ajmer), Balveer Singh (Sirsa), and Neeraj Shastri (Mathura) were honored with shawls, garlands, emblems, and honoraria. Shiv Narayan Agal offered the vote of thanks.

The Book Review Session was presided over by Dr. Faheem Ahmed, who underlined the family’s pivotal role in nurturing creativity, and shared two of his children’s poems. The chief guest, Chakradhara Shukla (Kanpur), presented a thoughtful review of the book “Geet Suhane Bachpan Ke.” Special guest Shivmohan Yadav (New Delhi) delivered a paper on “Paheli Vidha ka Jadoo” and illuminated the uniqueness of Prakash Tated’s book “Boojh Saheli, Meri Paheli.” Dr. Sarita Gupta (Delhi) highlighted the evocative charm of Madhu Maheshwari’s “Bhavon ki Sarita.” Senior litterateur Dinesh Panchal (Dungarpur) reviewed Vimla Bhandari’s “6 Ankon ka Jadoo”, appreciating its role in helping children learn postal pin codes. The session was steered with elegance by lyricist Shakuntala Saruparia, and Dharmesh Sharma extended the vote of thanks.

The Children’s Poetry Symposium was chaired by Colonel Praveen Tripathi, with distinguished guests Lal Devendra Kumar Shrivastava, Nandkishore Nirjhar, and Kiran Bala Kiran lending their inspiring presence.

Media in-charge Professor Vimal Sharma shared that the symposium commenced with an enthralling recitation of Ramdhari Singh Dinkar’s “Rashmirathi” and the Mahishasur Mardini Stotra by Pranshu Namdhar. The poetic ambiance was further enriched by the vibrant voices of Shyam Mathpal, Prakash Tated, Manila Porwal, Poonam Bhu, Hemlata Dadhich, Sunita Bishnoi, Sapna Jain Shah, Balbir Singh, Gangadhar Sharma, Yashpal Sharma, Chakradhara Shukla, Sarita Gupta, Pakhi Jain, Snehlata Bhandari, Mangal Kumar Jain, Veena Gaur, and many others, who enchanted the audience with their diverse, delightful, and engaging compositions.

At the Valedictory Session, Dr. Vimla Bhandari, President of Salila Sanstha, hailed the conference as a new milestone in the literary landscape. She lauded the active participation of writers and delegates from seven states, including Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, along with representatives from ten districts of Rajasthan, which together ensured the resounding success of the conclave.

The event concluded with the soulful rendering of the National Anthem, leaving the gathering steeped in literary pride and cultural harmony.