The Kathmandu Kalinga Literary Festival wrapped up its third edition in Lalitpur on Sunday, concluding a two-day event centered around the theme ‘Nepal: The Gateway to Asian Art, Culture, and Literature.’ The festival featured over 50 sessions and ended on a high note with the announcement that the next edition will take place on September 13-14, 2025.
A highlight of the event was the recognition of legendary poet Dr. Bhuwan Dhungana, who received the Yashaswi Sahitya Samman. Additionally, Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri, Sanjeev Sanyal, and Achyuta Samanta were honored with the Yashaswi Samman.
The Yashaswi Book Award 2081 was also presented to six outstanding books across five different categories. Among the recipients were Devvrat for his poetry collection ‘Aswasthamako Nidharbata Bagmati Bagchha,’ Muna Chaudhary for her fiction work ‘Laar,’ and Momila Joshi, who shared the non-fiction award with Arun Gupta for their respective books ‘Prashnaharu Ta Baki Nai Rahanchhan’ and ‘Sanskriti Chintan.’ Additional awards were given to Rohini Rana for ‘The Nepal Cook Book’ (English) and Yagyaraj Upadhyay for his research work ‘Kali-Karnaliko Lok Sahitya Tatha Sanskriti.’ Each awardee received Rs. 20,000 along with their award.
The festival attracted over 300 writers from across Nepal, India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and other South Asian nations. Ranjana Niraula, Director and Founding Member of KLF-Kathmandu, emphasized that the festival celebrated the deep cultural ties between Nepal, India, and South Asia, while also providing a platform for discussions on the evolution of global cultures. Rashmi Ranjan Parida added that the event fosters cultural exchange between Nepal and India.
One notable session at the festival, titled ‘Life Dedicated to Nepali Films,’ featured a conversation between Rajesh Hamal and Rupesh Shrestha. During the session, Hamal addressed concerns about the Nepali film industry, stating, “The Nepali movie industry is in its moment, and when something is in the moment, challenges are inevitable. While some may enjoy the journey, others might not, but the industry is undoubtedly progressing.”
The Kathmandu Kalinga Literary Festival was organized in partnership with Yashaswi Pragya Pratisthan and Himalayan Diary Pvt Ltd, with support from Surya Nepal Gatha and sponsorship from Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) Nepal.
