Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi today inaugurated the 7th Odisha State Book Festival-2025, emphasising the ancient roots of the Odia language and calling on citizens to promote its literature through increased reading and book gifting.
The festival, held at the Unit-3 Exhibition Ground in Bhubaneswar, will run from December 6 to 17. This year’s event features 550 stalls showcasing a wide array of books, along with dedicated pavilions honouring the state’s unsung heroes—referred to as “baraputras” or sons of the soil. The CM toured the stalls, purchased books, and paid tributes at the memorial pavilions.
In his address to litterateurs, writers, and book enthusiasts, Majhi highlighted Odia’s antiquity, citing evidence from ancient inscriptions like the 1st century BCE Hatigumpha cave script, 3rd century Dhauli and Jaugada edicts, and historical palm-leaf manuscripts. “It is our responsibility to develop and enrich this ancient language’s literature,” he said.
Revealing his personal passion, the CM shared that he has collected between 5,000 and 6,000 books in his library and reads them whenever possible. He urged children to learn about forgotten heroes through books and encouraged writers to document their stories to bring them into the public eye.
Praising Jnanpith Award winner Dr Pratibha Ray’s acclaimed novel *Yajnaseni*, Majhi echoed her call to treat books as gifts. “From today, I resolve to gift books to everyone. I appeal to all of you to buy and gift books too,” he said. “Flowers wilt and fade, but books awaken our consciousness day by day. If we all adopt this, the number of readers will grow, inspiring writers and creating new possibilities for Odia literature.”
Odia Language, Literature, and Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj described books as divine, urging children to reduce mobile usage and embrace reading to let books influence their consciousness.