1. About the Campaign
This campaign supported the inaugural edition of the Kashmir Literature Festival (KLF), organised by the Srikula Foundation on 7–8 December 2024. The two-day festival created a platform for literature, culture, ideas, shared heritage, and diverse philosophical perspectives.
2. The Problem and the Solution
Kashmir possesses a rich literary, philosophical, artistic, and cultural inheritance, but young people and emerging writers have limited access to large public platforms for intellectual exchange. Public discourse about the region is also frequently dominated by political conflict, leaving insufficient space for its literature, creativity, knowledge traditions, and cultural voices.
KLF addresses this gap by bringing together authors, thinkers, poets, artists, scholars, students, and cultural practitioners for:
- Literary conversations and panel discussions
- Poetry, storytelling, and artistic expression
- Book discussions and author interactions
- Conversations on Kashmir’s culture and shared inheritance
- Engagement between different ideas and philosophies
- Opportunities for young writers and students
- Cultural programmes and public participation
Campaign funds supported venue arrangements, speaker travel and hospitality, event production, technical requirements, outreach, communication, cultural programming, and documentation. Hindu Fund extended a grant of ₹5 lakh towards the festival.
3. Expected Impact and Beneficiaries
The inaugural edition established a new literary and cultural platform in Srinagar and created opportunities for diverse participants to exchange ideas.
The festival aims to:
- Encourage reading, writing, and intellectual curiosity among young people
- Provide visibility to writers, poets, artists, and local cultural voices
- Promote Kashmir’s literary and philosophical heritage
- Facilitate constructive dialogue across different perspectives
- Build Srinagar’s identity as a centre of literature and knowledge
- Connect Kashmir’s cultural community with national and international audiences
The beneficiaries include students, young writers, authors, poets, academics, artists, publishers, educators, tourists, and the wider cultural community of Jammu and Kashmir.
4. Geographic Area
- Union Territory: Jammu and Kashmir
- District: Srinagar
- City: Srinagar
- Setting: Near Dal Lake and the Zabarwan mountain range
- Wider reach: Participants and audiences from across India and abroad