Kathmandu, May 26: Swami Vivekananda Cultural Center, Kathmandu and Rashtriya Sahitya Pratisthan jointly organized Nepal-India poetry recitation program in Kathmandu on 24 May 2022

      Dr. Tulasi Prasad Bhattarai, senior writer was the chief guest of the program. Naveen Kumar, First Secretary of the Indian Embassy, Swetha Dipti, former HoD of Hindi Department at Tribhuvan University, among others were present in the event.

     On the occasion, Rashtriya Sahitya Pratisthan awarded 'National Literary Honour' to renowned India poet Naresh Shandilya. Pratisthan offered a shawl and a letter of appreciation to Shandilya in his honour. Pratisthan's Secretary General Madhu Pathak read out the letter of appreciation. Sakhi Pratishthan, a sister organization of Rashtriya Sahitya Pratisthan, also honored poet Shandilya.

     Speaking at the event, chief guest Bhattarai said that such honours would deepen literary and cultural ties between Nepal and India. Poems in Nepali, Hindi, Urdu, English and Bengali languages were recited. Rajendra Shalabh, Sneha Sayami, President of Urdu Foundation Imtiyaz Wafa, Dr. Momin Khan, Kunjana Jha, Madhu Kumari, Dr. Gyan Nishtha Gyawali, Thakur Belvase, Pabitra Adhikari, Umesh Awasthi, Ranju Dahal, Poonam Jha, Priyamwada Kafle, Dr. Binod Kumar Bishwakarma, Dr. Basudev Kafle, Tribhuvan, Chandra Wagle, Suman Barsha and Rashmi Bhatta recited their compositions.

    Indian poet Shandilya recited doha and ghazal. He spoke about Doha writing and discussed the importance of writing and recitation of ghazal. On the occasion, singers of Rashtriya Naachghar Bipin Ghimire and Shila Bista Ali performed Nepali and Hindi songs. Rishav Dev Ghimire, President of Pratisthan, was the chairman of the program, which was hosted by Ranjana Niraula, poet and Secretary of Pratisthan.