UditVani, Jamshedpur: The steel city is gearing up for a grand celebration of literature, art, culture and contemporary thought as the “Jamshedpur Literature Festival 2025,” organised by Vidyadeep Foundation, is scheduled to be held on December 20–21 at Hotel Ramada in Bistupur.
The city will host more than 100 writers, thinkers, Padma awardees, journalists, performers and OTT personalities from across India and abroad, making it one of the most diverse cultural events in the region.
This year, the festival goes beyond a two-day gathering and evolves into a creative movement.
Organisers announced that a special commemorative book titled “Sawaadon Se Srijan Tak” will be published after the event, compiling the ideas, questions, debates, key statements and reflections shared during each session.
Each speaker will have a dedicated page featuring their significant quotes, “golden lines,” signatures, thumb impressions, and glimpses from their sessions.
Two special teams will archive all content from open-air and auditorium sessions.
Star-studded Line-up Across Literature, Media, Art & OTT
The festival will feature over 20 sessions, panel discussions, book launches, cultural evenings, poetry recitations and honour ceremonies.
On December 20, celebrated folk singer Raahgheer will perform, while the closing evening on December 21 will feature a mesmerising Kalbelia dance presentation by Padma Shri Gulabo Sapera and her three-generation troupe.
In a major highlight, distinguished authors will receive the Shabd Shilpi Samman, which carries a cash award of Rs 1 lakh along with a citation.
Among the awardees are :
Hindi Category: Harivansh (New Delhi), Vyomesh Shukla (Varanasi), Babusha Kohli (Jabalpur)
Digital Literature: Dr. Anjum Sharma (New Delhi)
English Category: Dr. Ravi Dutt Bajpai, Prof. Swati Parashar, B. L. Mittal, Dr. Mayank Murari and Achal Priyadarshi
A range of compelling discussions will feature noted personalities such as Dr. Damodar Khadse, Dr. Prem Janmejay, Mukesh Nema, Rajesh Jais, Manish Pushkale, Padma Shri Bhajju Shyam, digital experts, scholars from Northeast India, international writers, and prominent journalists.
Padma Awardees to Be Felicitated
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh will honour several Padma awardees from across India, including Bhajju Shyam, Lakshman Singh, Sundaram Verma, Dr. Damayanti Beshra, Jamuna Tudu, Chami Murmu, Janum Singh Soy, Premlata Agarwal, Deepika Kumari and Chhutni Devi.
Powerful Dialogues on Day Two
The second day will include sessions on Gandhi, Ambedkar and Lohia; environmental ethics and tribal identity; the future of journalism; the art of cartooning; ghazal and poetry; as well as critical discussions on philosophy, nationalism, and the socio-cultural fabric of Jharkhand.
OTT and film personalities like Panchayat star Pankaj Jha, actor Rajesh Jais, actress Sunita Rajwar and filmmaker Abhishek Chaubey will interact in a special conversation curated by theatre expert Dr. M. K. Pandey.
Environmentalist Dr. Dinesh Kumar Mishra will receive the Vidyadeep Jal-Sanskriti Samman, to be presented by veteran soldier and social worker Soma Munda.
The festival will conclude with the spellbinding Kalbelia dance performance by Padma Shri Gulabo Sapera and her troupe, marking a memorable finale to JLF 2025.
