Tag: Goa Book Festival 2026

Events in Goa

Goa Book Festival 2026 Draws 1.25 Lakh Visitors, Sets a New Chapter for Literary Culture

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

The first edition of the Goa Book Festival 2026 concluded on Sunday, 8 February, at the DB Bandodkar Grounds, Panaji, marking a significant milestone in Goa’s cultural and literary landscape. Held from 4 to 8 February under the theme “An Ocean of Books”, the festival attracted an impressive footfall of over 1.25 lakh visitors over five days, reflecting a growing enthusiasm for books, reading, and meaningful dialogue across age groups.

Readers, writers, publishers, educators, students, and families came together for a packed programme that blended literature with cinema, history, spirituality, language, music, and art. One of the highlights of the final day was the session “The Many Lives of Sachin Pilgaonkar”, where the veteran actor-director reflected on language, cinema, and the role reading played in shaping his creative journey. Sharing anecdotes from his early years, he spoke about learning spoken Urdu under the guidance of Meena Kumari, refining Marathi with support from his wife and Ashok Saraf, and memorable moments from films like Sholay and Brahmachari. He concluded the session with a soulful rendition of “Kaun Disha Mein Leke Chala”, leaving the audience visibly moved.

Spiritual leader and author Acharya Prashant, in his session “Understanding the Self in Everyday Life”, addressed the deep dissatisfaction many experience in modern life. He spoke candidly about how people often chase validation and material markers rather than true inner satisfaction, encouraging introspection and honesty as pathways to lasting fulfilment.

The Author’s Corner remained a vibrant space for ideas and dialogue throughout the day. Events included the prize distribution ceremony for the photography competition themed “Goa: Festival & Culture”, a book release by noted Konkani writer Vithal Gavde (Parvadkar), and a panel discussion on the development of the Konkani language featuring eminent speakers from literary and academic circles. Conversations on education, ancient wisdom, and multilingual poetry further enriched the programme.

The Children’s Corner emerged as a major attraction, with nearly 500 students participating in interactive storytelling, folk dance and music performances, creative design sessions, and introductions to digital reading platforms like the Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya. Sessions celebrating Goa’s revived Kaavi Art drew enthusiastic participation from both children and parents, blending learning with hands-on creativity.

Evenings at the festival resonated with music and performance, culminating on the final day with an enthralling set by Kerala-based indie band Shanka Tribe, whose fusion of tribal rhythms and contemporary sounds created an immersive experience for audiences.

Across five days, the festival hosted conversations with prominent journalists, historians, filmmakers, legal experts, philosophers, authors, actors, and even an astronaut, ensuring wide-ranging engagement across disciplines. The book fair, featuring over 250 stalls from more than 100 publishers, remained abuzz throughout, with visitors exploring books in English, Konkani, Marathi, and several other Indian languages.

With strong participation, vibrant discussions, and a warm response from readers of all ages, the Goa Book Festival 2026 has laid the foundation for a lasting literary tradition in the state—one where books, ideas, and communities continue to meet and grow together.

Events in Goa

Day 4 at Goa Book Festival Explores Literature, Technology, History and Creative Expression

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Written by Intern Rency Gomes || Team Allycaral 

Day 4 at the Goa Book Festival 2026 offered a rich and reflective journey through literature, philosophy, technology, law, history and creative engagement, bringing together some of the country’s most insightful voices. The DB Bandodkar Grounds buzzed with activity as families browsed bookstalls, tourists explored the festival out of curiosity, schoolchildren engaged enthusiastically with learning spaces, and college students participated in intellectually stimulating sessions.

At the Author’s Corner, the session “Stories of the Soul: Life, Death, and What Endures” featured author Medha Khasgiwale in conversation with Sanjay Chakrane. The discussion examined humanity’s fear of death and the misconception of identifying the self solely with the physical body. Drawing from philosophical and spiritual traditions, Khasgiwale spoke about the physical, subtle and conscious dimensions of human existence, presenting death as a transition rather than an end.

This was followed by “Moving Towards Digital Library”, led by Dr Sushant Tandel, Curator, Goa Central Library. Addressing librarians, he discussed evolving reading habits and the urgent need for libraries to adapt in the digital age. While acknowledging the vast availability of online information, he emphasised the role of librarians in verification, curation and authenticity. The session outlined digital library infrastructure and highlighted benefits such as wider access and round-the-clock availability.

The session “Translation & Accessibility: Making Literature Inclusive” explored how translation and emerging technologies, including AI, can expand literary access. In conversation with Purnanand Chari, Gopinath Vishnu Gawas stressed the importance of ethical and thoughtful use of technology to preserve originality and cultural nuance while bridging linguistic divides.

A Publishers’ Meet, organised by the National Book Trust (NBT) under the Ministry of Education, brought together 35–40 publishers from across India. Held in the presence of Shri Kiran Thakur, Chief Patron, Goa Book Festival; Shri N Sampath, Assistant Director (Exhibitions); and Shri Ashok Dhankar, Project Officer, the meet focused on ISBN facilitation, publisher support systems, visibility, and professional capacity building. Publishers offered suggestions to streamline processes and strengthen the national publishing ecosystem.

In “A Discussion on After Me, Chaos: Astrology in the Mughal Empire”, journalist M J Akbar, in conversation with Vedanta Agarwal, examined astrology’s role in Mughal administration. Drawing from historical sources, he explained how astrology influenced governance, military campaigns, succession and daily imperial life, positioning it as an institutional and rational decision-making tool rather than superstition.

Lawyer and author Sumant Batra discussed his book “The Life and Legacy of Arun Jaitley” with Vedanta Agrawal. The conversation highlighted Jaitley’s ability to build political consensus, his formative experiences during Partition, and his career as a lawyer and policymaker, offering insights into the values that shaped his leadership and public life.

At the Children’s Corner, creativity and learning continued to flourish as over 2,500 students participated in interactive sessions. Activities included “Let’s Design a Mascot” by Team NCCL, “Tell a Tale” by storyteller Akanksha Datta, and a Cartoon Making Workshop by cartoonist Ajit Narayan, introducing young minds to storytelling, problem-solving and visual expression.

The day concluded with ‘Shivpratap’, a powerful musical-theatrical production that poetically traced the life and vision of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Narrated through symbolic voices of nature, the performance brought history alive, capturing the journey from birth and mentorship under Rajamata Jijabai to the founding of Swarajya.

Events in Goa

“Sky Was Never the Limit”: Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla Inspires Students at Goa Book Festival 2026

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Written by Intern Rency Gomes || Team Allycaral 

Day 3 of the Goa Book Festival 2026 witnessed a powerful convergence of inspiration, intellect and imagination, highlighted by an electrifying interaction with astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, AC, who addressed over 1,200 school students and took them on a journey beyond Earth.


“I travelled to space with a billion hearts with me. The sky was never the limit—not for me, not for you,” Shukla said, reflecting on his historic mission to the International Space Station. In a session moderated by Yuvraj Malik, Director, National Book Trust, India, the astronaut spoke candidly about fear, discipline, perseverance and the realities of life in space.

Sharing rare personal moments, he recalled the anxiety he felt during launch, likening it to opening an examination paper despite months of preparation. He described the intense physical strain of take-off, the mental challenge of isolation away from family, and the long process of relearning how to walk after returning to Earth. Through humour and videos, he brought space closer to students—sharing stories of playing basketball in zero gravity, walking on ceilings, momentarily forgetting gravity after returning, and listening to Vande Mataram while heading to the launch pad.

Answering questions from students, Shukla spoke about missing home-cooked food, coping with separation from family, and the importance of focusing on the present. He encouraged students to dream big, stay resilient and see setbacks as part of growth. Reflecting on identity, he said that beyond borders and planets, humanity shares a single home—Earth.

He also spoke about India’s space ambitions, including the Gaganyaan mission and plans for India’s own space station, telling students that the future of the nation’s space programme would be shaped by their aspirations.

The day also featured a felicitation ceremony, where Padma Shri Vinayak Khedekar and 52 eminent literary figures from Goa—including writers, poets, novelists and emerging authors—were honoured. The ceremony was attended by Prof. Milind Sudhakar Marathe, Chairman, NBT; Dr. Kiran Thakur, Chief Patron of the Goa Book Festival; and Kiran Kendre, Editor of Kishor magazine, among others.

At the Author’s Corner, the panel discussion “Konkani, Marathi, English: Multilingual Future of Goa” explored Goa’s layered linguistic identity, emphasising multilingualism as a lived cultural strength rather than a conflict. Speakers highlighted dialogue, balance and adaptability as key to preserving Goa’s linguistic harmony.

In “Ancient Stories, Modern Dreams,” author Shantanu Gupta reinterpreted the Ramayana as a framework for leadership, ethics and entrepreneurship, drawing parallels between Rama’s vanvaas and modern crises that demand resilience, responsibility and integrity.

The session “History as a Living Conversation” saw Mohan Shete, in conversation with Sanjay Chakanne, bring history alive through engaging narratives drawn from Anandmath and episodes from the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. By recounting battles such as Basrur and Palkhed, Shete reinforced the idea of history as a living dialogue shaping collective identity.

Filmmaker Chandraprakash Dwivedi, in conversation with Dev Kanya Thakur during “From Text to Screen: The Art of Adaptation,” reflected on transforming literature and history into visual narratives, emphasising research, inference and creative intuition. The session was attended by Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar, who later felicitated Dwivedi.

The Children’s Corner buzzed with energy as nearly 2,500 students participated in dance, movement and storytelling workshops. Activities blended learning with creativity, including digital literacy through the Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya platform, culminating with a staged presentation of the Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Saga.

Cultural evenings added vibrancy to the festival, with instrumental ensemble Maluhaa presenting immersive compositions blending Indian and Western classical traditions, followed by powerful folk and martial art performances by Team Mammalan from Puducherry, led by Padma Shri awardee Master Kalia Mamani K. Palanivel.

Day 3 of the Goa Book Festival 2026 stood out as a celebration of curiosity, courage and cultural continuity—where space science met storytelling, and ancient wisdom inspired modern dreams.

Events in Goa

Governor Ashok Gajapathi Raju Visits Ongoing Goa Book Festival 2026 in Panaji

rencygomes02

Written by Intern Rency Gomes || Team Allycaral 

Panaji, February 2026: Governor Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju visited the ongoing Goa Book Festival 2026 being held at the D. B. Bandodkar Ground in Panaji. The festival is organised by the National Book Trust, India, under the Ministry of Education, in association with the Government of Goa, Samarth Yuva Foundation, and Lokmanya Cultural Foundation.


During his visit, the Governor interacted with organisers, publishers and visitors, and took note of the wide range of books, literary activities and reader engagement initiatives showcased at the festival. The event brings together authors, publishers, students and book lovers, creating a vibrant platform to encourage reading habits and literary exchange.

The Goa Book Festival 2026 features book exhibitions, author interactions, discussions, and cultural programmes aimed at fostering a reading culture across age groups. The festival continues to attract strong public participation, reaffirming Goa’s growing engagement with literature, education and cultural dialogue.