Nagaland: White Owl Lit Fest calls for stronger reading culture

The inaugural programme of the third edition of The White Owl Literature Festival & Book Fair 2026 was held on February 5 at Town Hall, Zone Niathu by The Park, Chümoukedima. Organised by Penguin Random House India (PRHI) in collaboration with The White Owl, the event was graced by Speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Sharingain Longkumer, as chief guest. The three-day festival is being held under the theme, “Celebrating Stories, Inspiring Minds.”
Addressing the gathering, Longkumer said what people read eventually shapes what they speak and who they become, stressing the importance of reading in the digital age. He urged parents and society to encourage children to read books instead of exposing them too early to mobile phones and digital distractions.
He praised the founder’s dedication and expressed hope the initiative would reach the farthest corners of the state and country. He also said the platform offered opportunities for people from Nagaland, India and abroad to share and learn from one another’s stories, and hoped the festival would continue to grow and inspire young minds through literature and storytelling.
Delivering the keynote address, Press Club of India president Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty traced the festival’s origin, saying it was conceived to celebrate literature in a far-flung region by connecting local readers with national and regional authors.
She said the festival created space for discovering diverse literary voices and building a literary community in a a region often identified only with conflict. She noted that in its third edition, the festival had established a new literary platform in the Northeast and said such festivals foster cultural and intellectual growth while also supporting local economies by attracting visitors and promoting local culture, crafts and businesses. Highlighting the region’s strong oral and written traditions, she said such events help bring regional narratives to the forefront and create opportunities for local writers, poets and publishers.
Emphasising the importance of English writing and translation, she said such platforms can help take regional literature to wider national and global audiences, make works accessible to younger generations and encourage reading habits. She also encouraged journalists to document the region’s complexities and histories through non-fiction writing, saying such efforts would preserve stories for posterity.
Festival director Viketuno Rio said while books allow personal encounters with stories, literary festivals create public spaces to meet authors, discover new voices and engage with ideas. She said the festival nurtures reading culture, empathy, self-reflection and critical thought, and evolves by listening to its audience. She noted participation of diverse authors, artists and cultural voices from India and abroad, including delegates from Japan. She also mentioned the festival’s social impact initiatives such as the January 31 “Run for Persons with Disabilities,” which promoted inclusion and rethinking how communities live and act. She urged participants to read deeply, listen generously and carry new perspectives, empathy and respect.
The inaugural programme was chaired by Vitono Gugu Haralu, with invocation by Kevi Z. Kevichusa. Highlights included a poem recital by Pordigals’ Home, Sonali (visually impaired).