CMD Upendrra Rai Graces Indore’s Grand All-India Kavi Sammelan & Mushaira Evening

Indore, widely regarded as the economic and cultural nucleus of Madhya Pradesh, once again immersed itself in verse and eloquence. On Tuesday, 24 February, the prestigious Ravindra Natya Grah hosted the grand ‘Akhil Bharatiya Kavi Sammelan and Mushaira’, organised by the Prajatantra Media Foundation.

Eminent poets and distinguished shayars from across the country captivated audiences with compelling recitations.

Bharat Express News Network partnered as the official news associate. The occasion gained added distinction with the presence of its CMD and Editor-in-Chief, Upendrra Rai, who attended as a special guest.

Poetic Address Delivered

CMD Upendrra Rai commenced his speech with reflective poetry and expressed gratitude to literature enthusiasts.

He cited revered poet Tulsidas, quoting, “Kavit vivek ek nahin more, satya kahun likh kagad kore.…”. He affirmed that writing and reading have remained integral to his life.

Upendrra Rai revealed that he began his journalistic journey in 1997 during his first year of graduation.

Over 29 years, he has remained consistently engaged in writing. He recalled serving for 15 years as Group CEO and Editor-in-Chief at Sahara India Media Network.

He is also associated with prominent networks such as Star Network and CNBC.

Speaking about Bharat Express, he described it as a channel launched by a grassroots journalist.

Within three years, he said, the team built a credible identity. He admitted that he had written poetry since childhood, but rarely preserved his compositions.

Frequent mobile changes led to the loss of thousands of poems. Recently, he recognised the importance of safeguarding his creative work.

At organiser Hemant’s request, he presented select old and new compositions.

Rai fondly mentioned a 26-year friendship with the organisers, dating back to 1999 in Mumbai. He described responding instantly to their call with warmth and loyalty.

He also shared that his first published work appeared in 1995 in a journal of the Uttar Pradesh Hindi Sansthan, rediscovered by his social media team.

Concluding, he referenced celebrated poet Wasim Barelvi, likening the management of a major news channel to nurturing “many white elephants”—challenging yet fulfilling.

The evening resonated with poetry until late at night, leaving Indore enriched by literary celebration.

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