CM Rekha Gupta Drives Delhi Shabdotsav; Positions Capital As Cultural Powerhouse

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday took firm charge of preparations for the newly announced ‘Delhi Shabdotsav’, engaging directly with the organising team to finalise contours of what the government is projecting as the country’s largest literature and cultural festival.

The high-profile interaction took place soon after the official poster launch, signalling the administration’s intent to place culture at the centre of Delhi’s public discourse.

Following the poster unveiling, Rekha Gupta met the organising committee led by Art and Culture Minister Kapil Mishra, who briefed her on the event’s schedule, outreach plans and execution strategy.

The festival will take place from January 2 to January 4 at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium. It will firmly establish the national capital as a leading centre for intellectual and cultural engagement.

CM Rekha Gupta underscored the importance of structured coordination and large-scale participation, stressing that Delhi Shabdotsav must reflect India’s civilisational depth and contemporary thought leadership.

Taking to the social media platform X, the Chief Minister confirmed the meeting and highlighted the collaborative leadership driving the initiative.

CM Rekha Gupta announced that the festival will host eminent thinkers, writers and speakers from across the country.

Festival Format and Programming

The programme will feature book launches, cultural showcases and a poets’ conclave, blending literary depth with artistic expression.

The Delhi Government and Suruchi Prakashan are jointly organising the event, marking a significant public–private partnership in the cultural sphere.

Art and Culture Minister Kapil Mishra described Delhi Shabdotsav as a defining cultural intervention by the government. He told reporters that the festival will now become an annual flagship event under the Ministry of Culture, reinforcing Delhi’s identity as the intellectual capital of the nation.

Mishra stated that the scale and diversity of programming would set a new national benchmark.

The festival’s line-up includes more than 100 prominent speakers, among them National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Sunil Ambekar, Manmohan Vaidya and Sachchidanand Joshi.

Over 40 books will be released during the three-day event, alongside six major cultural performances and two poets’ meets, reflecting a broad spectrum of Indian thought and tradition.

Students from nearly 40 universities across the Delhi NCR will actively participate, ensuring youth engagement and academic involvement.

Kapil Mishra confirmed that classical dance forms such as Bharatnatyam and Kathak, along with Bhajan Sandhya, Kavi Sammelan and a symbolic Somnath Jyotirlinga Darshan programme, will feature prominently.

CM Rekha Gupta will inaugurate the festival, while Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Chhattisgarh Home Minister Vijay Sharma are also scheduled to attend.

Senior Cabinet colleagues Ashish Sood, MLAs Abhay Verma and Rajkumar Bhatia were present during the preparatory meeting.

With Delhi Shabdotsav, Rekha Gupta’s government is clearly crafting a cultural narrative that blends governance, ideology and intellectual influence, turning literature into a political statement.

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