Bhopal Literature & Art Festival encourages the narration of stories so as to unlock those hidden human emotions that are intrinsic to all of us and which bind our spirits together. This togetherness is the powerful force that can be evoked to transform the lone individual into the powerful collective. This is where words written find voice, silence finds expression and darkness is illuminated - so as to touch and kindle the soul of every individual, every collective, every society. Heartland Stories are those stories that stimulate the intellect and provoke detailed discussion and candid dialogue. Inspired by the glorious traditions and rich history of Central India - stories from the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Sanchi (close to the Heliodorus Pillar and the Udayagiri Caves) and Bhimbetka, the enticing and mysterious jungles of Central India, the upsurge of traditional and contemporary arts
RegistrationTestimonials
Former CMD BSNL & Author of Bhopal'92
"Thank you for inviting me to the Bhopal Literature Festival for the launch of my book "Bhopal '92". I truly appreciate your support and enthusiasm. I'm looking forward to staying in touch and exploring opportunities to collaborate in the future."
Editor
"Dear Raghav ji, Congratulations on yet another wonderful edition of the Bhopal Lit and Art fest and thank you for giving me the opportunity to moderate a panel discussion. I enjoyed my session on Children's literature!!"
Author, Swallowing the Sun
"Thanks very much Raghav for giving me the honour of being here at the festival which you have so wonderfully curated and brought to life !"
Empathy Leader & Author
"Thank you very much for the invitation. I too found immense value and inspiration and I was so honoured to attend. Thank you for taking the time to send a message and I hope we can connect again."
Author - Equal, Yet Different
"Thank you, Raghav for your kind words and for being such a wonderful host of a fabulous event. I was delighted with the response. It would have been wonderful to spend more time with you...I hope there will be another opportunity."
Author, Jayadeva Ranade
"Dear Raghav, Noticed the richly deserved praise for your contribution to the BLF. Having been there once, I agree entirely. Best wishes"
Author & Pilot
"Dear Raghav sir, Thank you so much for your kind words and they mean a lot to me. Thank you so much for providing me this opportunity and inviting me to such a fabulous event. It was a matter of great pride and honor to be a part of this wonderful event. This was meticulously planned and organized. The warmth infused with great detailing and made this event an amazing experience in every way for all of us. Special gratitude to you sir for making this happen for me. Many regards and many thanks"
Advisor, Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports
"Congratulations on a superb BLF ... the overall positive vibe, helpful nature and terrific hospitality was just amazing. Can't thank you enough."
Retired Colonel, Indian Army
"Congratulations to the whole team for organising such a grand festival with clockwork precision , meticulous planning and execution. Just amazing ."
Author, Raghoba
"Very well organised. My compliments to Raghavji, Abhilashji and Sulakshana ji."
Major General, Indian Army
"Heartiest compliments to team BLF for an excellent BLF. The young brigade was enthusiastic and professional. All activities were well coordinated, the topics and speakers were domain experts. Best wishes for all your endeavours in future. Jai Hind"
Tabla Maestro
"Thanks Abhilashji. I must admit that BLF was a magnificent & grand show, definitely for the meticulous planning, hard work and execution by you and your dedicated team. Congratulations and Namaskar."
Director, Bal Bhavan School, Bhopal
"Congratulations to team BLF for a wonderful show and a superb effort."
Singer
"बहुत सुंदर आयोजन I इस तीन दिवसीय कार्यक्रम में एक ही स्थान पर इतने सारे विविध विषयों पर ज्ञानवर्धक और आकर्षक व्याख्यान सुनियोजित तरीके से होना,साथ ही ट्राइबल फेयर, नई किताबों का विमोचन, अच्छी किताबों की उपलब्धता I यह सब आदरणीय राघव जी और उनकी पूरी टीम की अथक मेहनत का सफल परिणाम है।इस फेस्टिवल ने भोपाल को साहित्यिक और सांस्कृतिक रूप में राष्ट्र पटल पर रेखांकित किया है।साथ ही सुलक्षणा जी आप को भी बहुत बेहतर कोऑर्डिनेशन के लिए बधाई देती हूं I"
Author
"भोपाल साहित्य एवं कला महोत्सव के सुव्यवस्थित, सुसंस्कारित,सुचिन्तित , सफल, सार्थक आयोजन की हार्दिक बधाई। आयोजन में भारतीय साहित्य और कला के विविध पक्षों पर सारे संवाद भारतीय भाषाओं में न होकर अभारतीय भाषा में सम्पन्न हुए। जबकि आज सारे भारतीय भाषाओं के साहित्य मनीषी बहुत अच्छी हिन्दी या अन्य भारतीय भाषाओं का सम्पन्न ज्ञान रखते हैं। यह अभिनन्दनीय है। भाषा संस्कृति की संवाहक होती है।एक प्रकार से वह संस्कृति ही होती है। प्रत्येक भाषा की अपनी संस्कृति होती है। निवेदन है कि ऐसे आयोजनों में अधिकाधिक हमारी भाषा का उपयोग करें तो नयी पीढ़ी और प्रबुद्ध जन तथा नागरिकों को सकारात्मक संदेश जाएगा। ऐसे आयोजन स्वस्थ समाज के निर्माण में सांस्कृतिक भूमिका निभाते हैं। पुनः एक बहुत अच्छे साहित्य उत्सव-आयोजन की हार्दिक बधाई। साधुवाद।"
Travel Writer
"I would like to add to the congratulations here. It was my wife Saroj and my first visit to BLF and were were very touched by the warmth and the hospitality with which we were received. Enjoyed meeting several participants and speakers and made many new friends."
Author, Indian Women in Islamabad
"Thank you for the wonderful opportunity of participating in this great event. It was nice to return to Bhopal and meet old friends. Congratulations to everyone who worked to make it a success. May this festival grow and prosper in years to come and delight of Bhopal."
Author, Wild Women
"It was a pleasure to return to BLF. The organization was impeccable and the attention to detail admirable. I hope it will never lose the intimacy of scale that makes it unique, and such a welcome change from the bigger and more impersonal lit fests. Thanks and congratulations to the entire organizing team!"
Author, Haiku
"I too echo the sentiments of participants. Impeccable arrangements , stimulating discourses and team BLF’s inimitable hospitality - President to the young volunteers . Salaam BLF"
Author, When Turquoise Waters Turned Dark & Chairman New Delhi Municipal Council
"The BLF was truly a remarkable experience. The arrangements were impeccable, and the selection of topics and speakers was wonderfully diverse. I especially appreciated that the festival maintained its focus without getting lost in commercial noise. A big thank you and congratulations to Raghav Chandra Sir and his team, particularly Sulakshna, for their hard work. I look forward to seeing the festival grow and thrive in the coming years."
Ex-Governor, RBI & Author, Just A Mercenary
"Sulakshana: You and your team have been great. Warm, affectionate, and efficient. Will carry very fond memories. Thanks so much."
Add DG, ASI & Author
"Greetings. I’d too join the chorus in thanking the organisers of BLF to give a new author like me an opportunity to present his book. It was a very well organised literature and art event, well participated by all walks of life - from students to the literary giants. I’m also grateful to all the students and volunteers to have helped us whenever we required inputs. Regarding videos, it would be nice, if the videos are produced individually session-wise so that it is easy to download. I look forward to participating in BLF again in future."
Author & Theatre Enthusiast
"Heartiest congratulations for yet another successful edition of BLF! There was an eye for detail for every aspect of the Festival , impeccable organisation and coordination, astute time keeping and great warmth and hospitality, ,not to forget the scrumptious and delectable lunches and dinners! My sincere appreciation and gratitude especially to Mr Raghav Chandra for his kind invitation and to Sulakshna Ji for her admirable patience for braving innumerable queries that came her way which she managed with such panache and sophistication. Thank you ALL once again, TEAM BLF ! For me, the sessions at the BLF were food for my soul. I had the good fortune to meet some wonderful people who are doing such admirable work in their respective fields. Would love to connect with them."
Author, Unpolitically Correct
"Congratulations to Raghav, Abhilash, Sulakshna and Suresh for being so efficient and responsive."
Artist & Author, Watercolour Flowers
"My heartfelt congratulations on the incredible success of BLF 2025! It was a truly enriching experience—one that filled my cup with profound thoughts, intellect, and invaluable learnings. A special thanks to Raghav Chandra Sir, Brig Sanjay Agarwal Sir, Sulakshana Ma’am, and Pravin Ji for their impeccable efforts right from curating, facilitating, and orchestrating it seamlessly. I’m sure many more hands and minds worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make this event what it was, and I extend my gratitude to each one of them. I also had the privilege of listening and meeting so many remarkable experts, each of whom opened new perspectives for me. The depth of discussions and exchange of ideas will stay with me long after the event, inspiring me in ways I hadn’t imagined. I’m truly grateful to have been a part of it"
Author, Bed of Arrows
"Thank you Raghav, for inviting me and giving me the opportunity to meet and interact with some wonderful people . You have created this high quality event , which I hope will only get better with time . It requires great courage and vision to organise such an event , which you and your team have admirably achieved. My thanks to Sulakshna also for all the help extended by her whenever needed."
Author, Mandu
"Thank you to Mr Raghav Chandra for inviting me to be a part of this well planned Literature festival. Also thanks to Sulakshnaji and her team for meticulous organisation and eye for detail. It was truly a memorable experience. I enjoyed my interactions with the audience during my session, and the many thought provoking sessions that I attended. Have also met interesting people and made many friends Thanks again. Looking forward to more connections in the future."
Author, Prahar: The Singing Clock
"Shri Raghav Chandra ji. Abhilash ji , sulakshana ji and the entire team of BLF , thank you so much for the wonderful atmosphere and the warmth."
Author, Speaking Stones
"Fabulous effort and thank you for the hospitality. I thoroughly enjoyed my interactions and book talk at the festival"
Author, Those Who Stayed
"Congratulations and thanks for organising such a wonderful event. Shri Raghav Chandra ji. Abhilash ji, Sulakshna ji and the entire team of BLF, thank you for all the warmth and hospitality. It was a wonderful and rich experience for me, learned a lot, and met a lot of experienced people. Thank you for providing a space to share the stories of Kashmiri Sikhs to the larger world. Such events are what gives a writer like me inspiration to write more and bring more unheard histories to the world."
Author, Supercharge Your Destiny
"Thank you for the incredible opportunity to share insights from Supercharge Your Destiny and mark its Central India launch on such a prestigious platform. The seamless organization, warm hospitality, and engaging audience made it an unforgettable experience. A special thanks to @Raghav Chandra Ji sir for creating this amazing thing and giving me an opportunity, appreciation to @Sulakshna Choudhry for making us feel so welcome and @Shalini Mahajan for the enriching discussion. Your efforts truly made the event exceptional! Grateful for your support in fostering meaningful conversations."
Social Entrepreneur
"Thank you so much for all you did to make us feel as habitants of a larger tent, well organised and well run with fresh air, water, food and tea a plenty. Hope and pray it retains its uniqueness and would love to remain connected with BLF community."
Wellness Coach
"As a poet I wish to express my experience through these lines as below. With care and grace, the space was set. A journey of insights we won't forget. Your hospitality, warmth that shined bright, Every detail arranged to everyone's delight. Congratulations to the team, so wise and true, For crafting an event with a golden hue. Special thanks to Raghav Chandra Sir, Sulakshna ma'am and the whole team. It was a wonderful learning experience, having met so many amazing people from diverse fields."
Author, Taxi
"Thank you Mr Raghav Chandra, Sulakshana & the whole BLF team for an excellent festival! The best part (for me) has been coming to Bhopal & to Madhya Pradesh."
Author, Exhibiting India
"Heartiest congratulations on organising such a successful and enriching event, and my sincere thanks for your warmth and hospitality. What struck me most was the palpable sense of pride among the youth, professionals, local booksellers, and volunteers who came together to host this magnificent festival. It was a wonderfully enriching experience, offering valuable insights and the opportunity to engage with people brimming with fascinating ideas. Thank you once again, and cheers to each member of the organising team, as well as all the participants, for making this festival such a memorable one."
Founder, Chintan
"Thank you to each of you at BLF @Raghav Chandra Ji @Sulakshna Choudhry @Abhilash Khandekar @Meera Dass"
Lieutenant General
"Thank you Team BLF for a wonderful experience. From the sessions to conduct to logistics and hospitality everything was fantastic."
Ambassador
"Everything was wonderful at the Bhopal literary festival ! From arrangements to logistics to the venue and most of all the volunteers and those running the festival ! Great experience !"
Author, The Longest Kiss
"Many thanks to Raghav Chandra , Sulakshna and the entire BLF team for the lovely festival and warm hospitality ! Loved my session and the overall festival ambience ! Great show!"
Author, Tibet
"Congratulations to the organisers, Raghav, Sulakshna and all the others for this wonderful event. The hospitality and arrangements were immaculate and the enthusiasm heart-warming. A big thank you to all."
Journalist, Writer & Translator
"Thank you, everyone, for your warmth, hospitality and for making the festival such a lovely experience."
Author, The Lure of Old Times
"It was a pleasure to be part of BLF. Smooth and silky organisation, comfortable stay, unique presentation, a confluence of literary thought and personages, an extremely well-knit presentation with no hitches, glitches, stitches and hiccups, a seamless gliding from one part to another... Thank you for this marvellous confluence of intelligent minds and well-conducted events. Take a bow, planners and presenters. Jewel in the Crown.. Pratibha Singh Baghel's performance. It was a magical stay, so well-organised, so explicitly detailed, that thanks is a small word to encompass the sense of gratitude. For me, Bhopal was a case of love at first sight. Special thanks to Sulakshna for the extremely well-co-ordinated organisation from beginning to end, entry to exit. That too without a frown, fluster or furrowed forehead. Congrats and thanks to Mr Raghav Chandra for his unruffled and cool management"
Author, Yellow
"Grateful for the lovely experience of excellent hospitality and competent management! Felicitations to the whole team."
"Thank u so much for inviting me and giving opportunity to present a new subject. All arrangement etc were perfect. Atmosphere was charged. I wish u good luck for all events in future."
Author
"My heartfelt gratitude to you all, especially to Raghavjee for the tender care he bestowed on us."
Author, Folk Sutra
"I am humbled and honoured to have had the opportunity to share the time, space and stage with all of you - wonderful thinkers and change makers. I have come back with a heart full of warmth and affection that I received , a mind full of ideas, and also made some wonderful friends at BLF. Your personal attention towards making sure that you interacted with every one of the delegates and ensuring that each one of us is so well taken care of- is truly a heart-touching gesture. I am inspired to make an even deeper impact in the near future. BLF 2025 itself was absolutely worth the time and effort. Your team ensured that everything was well taken care of. Special thanks to Sulakshna ji, Sanjay ji for having showcased my book at BLF and Meenakshi ji for being the source. Thank you for your humility and inspirational leadership. Keep touching lives !"
Author, Iconic Trees of India
"Dear Raghav Chandraji, Sulakshanaji, and Abhilashji, It was wonderful participating in such a well organized and well attended lit fest. Many thanks for your warmth, hospitality, and amazing organizational skills."
Director General, Hydrocarbons
"Thank you to Team BLF for a most memorable BLF 2025"
Author, Kishore Kumar - The Ultimate Biography
"Thank you @Sulakshna Choudhry and BLF team for a wonderful time in the city of lakes."
Author, Sagat
"Congratulations to team BLF for a wonderful experience."
Author, Requiem in Raga Janki
"Dear BLF team and Mr.Raghav Chandra, this is just to express my sincere thanks to all of you for the wonderful experience that the festival proved to be. I enjoyed every minute."
Discussant
"Thank you all soo oo much for such a fabulous festival, It was ethereal. Enjoyed every minute of it. Kudos to the whole team BLF."
Author, Contemporary China: Tradition and Modernity
"The arrangements were very well done and it was wonderful to be at the BLF 25. Many thanks to the team who organised it"
Author, The Chronology of India
"Congratulations for the grand event of BLF 2025 and my gratitude to BLF for wonderful arrangements"
Author, Kishore Kumar - The Ultimate Biography
"Take this opportunity to thank team BLF for the excellent arrangements"
Eklavya Foundation, Bhopal
"Thank you for bringing th topic of Children's Literature into the BLF fold - it is an important start indeed. Thanks for all the thoughtful arrangements too."
The nearest airport is Bhopal, which is 12 KMs away.
The nearest convenient railway station is Bhopal, which is 3 KMs away.
The nearest major city is Bhopal, which is 3KMs away.