 Early Times Report
JAMMU, Feb 4: Today, Wednesday, 4 February 2026, the Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, in collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, Jammu, organized a two-day Dogri Poetry Festival (4 and 5 February).
The chief guest of the programme was Shri Lal Chand Ji, who is serving as the Deputy Secretary of the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, Jammu. The keynote address was delivered by renowned Dogri writer Shri Khajur Singh Thakur Ji, while the vote of thanks was presented by Rita Khadyal Ji, Editor (Dogri) of the Academy. The programme was presided over by eminent Dogri writer Shri Om Goswami Ji.
In his keynote address, Shri Khajur Singh Thakur Ji spoke in detail on the theme and highlighted its importance and relevance.
The programme began with a welcome address by Shri Shanmukhanand Ji, Deputy Secretary, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi. This was followed by the inaugural address of Shri Mohan Singh Ji, Convener of the Dogri Advisory Board at Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, who is a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Padma Shri. In his address, he stated that the Sahitya Akademi has always remained committed to the promotion and development of all recognized regional languages. Through its various initiatives-such as Gramalok, which provides a platform to poets from rural and remote areas; Asmita, which promotes women's empowerment and encourages women writers; and platforms for young and emerging poets-the Sahitya Akademi organizes programmes throughout the year to foster the growth of regional languages.
The main objective of this poetry festival was to provide a shared platform for young and senior poets and to inspire the younger generation to promote and propagate the Dogri language.
The poetry festival was divided into two days, 4 and 5 February.
On the first day, the first session was chaired by Dogri writer Shri Darshan Darshi Ji, in which Balk Ram Baral, Bishan Singh Dardi, Gopal Krishan Komal, Puran Chand Sharma, and Vijaya Thakur recited their poems. |
