CNN Central News & Network–ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: The “Vishwarang 2025 – Tagore International Literature and Arts Festival”, held at Ravindra Bhavan, concluded with grandeur and emotion after four days of creative, intellectual, and cultural engagements. The festival was inaugurated by Governor Mangubhai Patel, with former President of the Republic of Mauritius, Prithviraj Singh Rupan, as the chief guest. On the second day, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav participated in the program, calling it a celebration of Madhya Pradesh’s creative consciousness. The closing session was presided over by former Union Minister and senior litterateur Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’.
Organized jointly by the Vishwarang Foundation and Rabindranath Tagore University, with support from the Department of Culture, Government of Madhya Pradesh, this seventh edition witnessed extensive participation from national and international writers, artists, scholars, thinkers, and youth, giving the festival the stature of a truly global cultural event. This year, Vishwarang reached over 47 million viewers worldwide through digital platforms, social networks, and direct participation—a remarkable achievement in the history of Indian literary and cultural events.
During the inauguration, Governor Mangubhai Patel described Vishwarang as a strong cultural bridge between Indian tradition and modern consciousness, highlighting that such events provide a global platform for languages and cultural heritage. Chief Guest Prithviraj Singh Rupan emphasized that Indian literature represents universal human sensibility, and “Vishwarang” offers global society cultural balance and emotional harmony. Other dignitaries included Santosh Choubey, Director General of Vishwarang and Chancellor of Rabindranath Tagore University, Dr. Siddharth Chaturvedi, Chancellor and Co-Director of Scope Global Skills University, Dr. Aditi Chaturvedi Vats, Pro-Chancellor and Co-Director, among others.
The second day began with an invocation by the Dhrupad Sansthan. The melodic strains of Tanpura, along with ragas Bhopali, Yaman, and Kedar, created an atmosphere of spiritual musical devotion.
Intellectual sessions included topics such as “Questions of the 21st Century – Literature, Society, and Culture”, “Skills for the New Century”, and “Human Consciousness in the Age of AI and Language Erosion”. Speakers like Dr. Nandkishore Acharya, Santosh Choubey, Ankur Variku, Akash Chopra, and lyricist Swanand Kirkire engaged directly with the youth. On the third day, a special interactive session with journalist Saurabh Dwivedi and actress Sanya Malhotra focused on acting processes, self-discipline, and life struggles.
Over three days, more than 12 parallel sessions were conducted on diverse themes, including “From Kautilya to Corporate”, “Century Concerns in Storytelling and Poetry”, “New Language of Literature and Youth Writing”, “Cinema – Past, Present, and Future”, “Changing Narratives on OTT Platforms”, “India’s Emerging Sports Power”, “Dimensions of Virtual Communication”, “War and Anti-War Art”, and “Meet the Author”. Eminent personalities like Radhakrishnan Pillai, Faizal Malik, Divya Dutta, Rajendra Gupta, Divya Prakash Dubey, Mamta Kalia, Neelotpal Mrinal, Shivmurti, Pushpesh Pant, Priya Malik, Sumit Awasthi, and A. Aravindakshan participated in these sessions.
Sessions on diaspora literature saw creators from Netherlands, Sharjah, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Italy, USA, Belgium, Canada, Myanmar, Bahrain, Japan, and Indonesia, sharing insights on language preservation, cultural identity, and teaching methodologies in a global context.
During the inauguration, senior creators of various Indian languages were honored with the “Vishwarang Award”. On the final day, in the 7th Tagore International Painting Competition, 100 young artists were selected from thousands of national and international entries and felicitated.
Every evening of the festival was adorned with cultural performances. Audiences appreciated Malvi folk dance by Tripti Nagar, Bangla folk music by Shubvrat Sen, Shri Krishna Leela by Shriram Kala Kendra, Deshrag performances, and the Collective Choir Band. The closing evening featured Bollywood singer Sona Mahapatra, who performed popular songs like “Bedardi Raja,” “Ai Giri Nandini,” “Chhap Tilak,” “Jiya Lage Na,” “Narayan Ram Ramna,” and “Ambar Sariya,” creating a memorable finale.
On the fourth day, the “Uttar-Rang” event showcased a melodious Satvani performance, followed by the staging of the grand play “Ahilya Rupen Sansthita”, directed by Priyanka Shakti Thakur, depicting the life philosophy, justice, and public service of Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar.
In the closing session, Prithviraj Singh Rupan stated that “Vishwarang sends a strong message of cultural harmony at the international level.” Presiding over the session, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ described it as an innovative initiative that strengthens India’s global cultural identity.
Thus, the four-day Vishwarang 2025 became a unique confluence of literature, arts, music, cinema, and international dialogue, leaving a lasting mark in history and establishing Bhopal as a prominent center for Indian languages and global cultural discourse.
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