Bhagwati Prasad Devpura Memorial National Children's Literature Festival Concludes

Nathdwara/Kota, January 7 – The two-day Bhagwati Prasad Devpura Memorial and National Children's Literature Festival concluded with meaningful discussions on children's literature, the release of 24 literary works, and the felicitation of 82 writers, artists, and medical professionals. Among the honorees were three eminent writers from Kota—Mahesh Pancholi, Vijay Sharma, and Vishnu Sharma Harihar.

The event, organized by the Sahitya Mandal, was led by the institution's officer, Shyam Prakash Devpura, who also conducted the proceedings. Ajneev presented the works of the honored writers through prose and poetry recitations.

Tribute to Bhagwati Prasad Devpura

The festival included reflections on the literary contributions of Bhagwati Prasad Devpura. Essays such as Devpura: As I Saw and Understood by Dr. Amar Singh Badan (Chandigarh), Devpura’s Creativity and Thought by Dr. Rahul (Delhi), and Devpura: A Disciplinary Personality by Dr. Gyan Prakash Piyush (Sirsa) highlighted his life and work. Dr. Raksha Godawat (Udaipur) discussed Devpura: The Patron and Promoter of Krishna Devotional Literature. Personal memories were also shared by Rameshwar Sharma Ramu Bhaiya (Kota), Banshilal Laddha (Kapasan), Rekha Lodha (Bhilwara), Dr. Ajneev Rawat, and Jitendra Nirmohi (Kota).

Discussions on Children’s Literature

The festival also featured a symposium on children’s literature with presentations on a variety of topics:

• Children Moving Away from Grandmother’s Stories by Satyanarayan Satya (Raipur, Rajasthan)
• The Need for Children’s Literature Today by Dr. Gyan Prakash Piyush (Sirsa, Haryana)
• Children, Literature, and Moral Values in Contemporary Times by Dr. Nagendra Kumar Mehta (Bhaw Shri Nath)
• Fairies, Wizards, and Kings in Children’s Literature by Krishna Bihari Pathak (Hindaun City, Rajasthan)
• The Role of Animals and Birds in Children’s Literature by Narendra Nirmal (Bharatpur)
• National Love in Children’s Stories by Rekha Lodha Smit (Bhilwara)
• Lullabies in the World of Children by Vimala Nagla (Kekri)
• Sun, Moon, and Stars in Children’s Poems by Richa Rawat Raya (Uttar Pradesh).

Special Honors

Several distinguished individuals received prestigious awards during the event:

• Kamla Devi Agnihotri Memorial Award: Suklata Tripathi (Lucknow)
• Medical Service Ratna Titles: Dr. Y.N. Verma, Dr. S.S. Purohit, Dr. M.K. Sirohiya, and Dr. Vishal Lahoti (all from Nathdwara)
• Tara Chand Bhandari Memorial Award: Hidayat Khan (Mand Singer, Chhui Nagaur)
• Bhagwati Prasad Devpura Memorial Award: Professor Praful Chandra Thakur (Samastipur, Bihar)
• Other Prestigious Memorial Awards: Anand Prajapati (Mirzapur), Dr. Ragini Bhushan (Jamshedpur), Dr. Sangeeta Pal (Kutch), Angel Gandhi (Rae Bareli), Srishti Raj (Mirzapur).

Recognitions for Literary Contributions

Many writers were honored with honorary titles:

• Bal Sahitya Bhushan Titles: Dr. Ajay Janmejay (Bijnor), Dr. Dayaram Maurya (Pratapgarh), Arvind Kumar Sahu (Rae Bareli), Gautam Chandra Arora (Varanasi), and others.
• Journalist Honors: Uma Shankar Vyas (Bikaner), Rajesh Verma (Udaipur).
• Honorary Titles for Poetry and Literature: Dr. Sharda Prasad Dubey (Mumbai), Hari Vani (Kanpur), Saroj Gupta (Jaipur), Mukesh Kumar Rishi (Agra), and others.

The event showcased a rich diversity of thought and contributions to children’s literature, with participation from writers across India.