Patna came alive on Sunday with the grand launch of the ‘Lets Inspire Bihar’ Literature Festival 2026. Literature enthusiasts, writers, poets, intellectuals, and young minds from across India converged for an event that celebrated Bihar’s rich cultural heritage and future aspirations.
Bihar’s Minister for Art, Culture, Youth, and Tourism, Arun Shankar Prasad, graced the occasion as chief guest. He emphasized that literature forms the soul of society, playing a pivotal role in connecting youth to their roots and building a progressive community. The festival buzzed with discussions on social change, entrepreneurship, and cultural revival.
IPS officer Vikas Vaibhav, the chief patron, unveiled a visionary roadmap for Bihar’s growth. Citing last year’s 13.09% growth rate, he urged achieving at least 15% annually to match leading states. With 90 million youth under 30 in a 140 million population, he highlighted their potential as Bihar’s greatest asset. ‘No government can employ everyone,’ he noted, pushing for entrepreneurship and startups. Already, 30 startups linked to the initiative employ over 100 people.
The minister spotlighted the ‘Guru-Shishya Parampara Yojana’ to revive traditional arts, calling on youth to embrace Bihar’s intellectual legacy from Nalanda to modern poets like Dinkar and Phanishwar Nath Renu.
A highlight was the session ‘Literature as a Tool for Social Change: Bihar Perspective,’ where IPS officer and author Amit Lodha shared his administrative insights and writing journey, praising Vaibhav’s efforts. Moderated by writer-politician Mrityunjay Sharma, discussions touched on discipline, compassion inspired by Buddha, and transcending caste, religion, and ideology for Bihar’s progress.
Book launches added sparkle, with Jyoti Jha’s ‘Spectrum and Beyond’ stealing the show. The event drew luminaries like Chhapra University VC Prof. Parmendra Vajpai, Hans magazine MD Rachna Yadav, poet Samir Parimal, Priyanka Jha of People Stage, Pallavi Rani of LIB Literary Mumbai, poet Radha Shailendra, and Ashish Adarsh of Arcade Business College.
This festival not only revived Bihar’s literary spirit but also ignited a collective resolve for development, blending tradition with innovation for a brighter tomorrow.