Speakers Share Their Thoughts On The Future of Books
New Delhi: (Reported by Sanatan Mahakud): On the occasion of World Book Day, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, organised a symposium on the topic “Technology and Books." The Future of Reading and Writing” in its conference hall at Rabindra Bhavan, 35 Ferozeshah Road, New Delhi.
The event began with a welcome by Dr K. Sreenivasa Rao, Secretary of the Akademi, who felicitated the speakers with a gamachha and a book. In his welcome address, he shared insightful thoughts on “Technology and Books." He said that social media has eliminated the distance between authors and readers.The program was presided over by Dr Sandhya Purecha, Chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi. She emphasised that books can never truly disappear. She added that today’s young generation can easily access books of their choice through the internet, no matter where in the world they are available. She urged everyone to read, write, question books, and spend time with scholars.
Journalist Jai Prakash Pandey, in his address, noted that even before technology existed, words prevailed—initially in oral tradition, followed by the gradual development of scripts. He stressed the need to maintain quality in both reading and writing.Publisher and editor Ms Meru Gokhale discussed the shift from TikTok to BookTok. She emphasized the importance of experimenting with technology. She highlighted a significant issue 90% of authors worldwide do not get editors and are forced to publish without editing. To address this, she has developed an app that simplifies the editing process.
Artist Prem Singh spoke about the future of reading and writing, stating that books are timeless and will always remain relevant. Dancer Ms Sindhu Mishra pointed out the lack of audiences across all art forms today. Ms Usha Mujoo Munshi, associated with the information sector, delivered a PowerPoint presentation, stating that books have transitioned from paper to screens, and now stories are no longer confined to pages. She presented her views on the future of books in the age of AI.Senior IPS and Hindi poet Tajendra Singh Luthra briefly spoke about the oral tradition. He highlighted the history of scripts and remarked that had our ancestors not invented writing, we would not have reached the era of AI. He emphasised the need to step out of our comfort zones and embrace new technologies with an open heart.
The event was moderated by Dr Devendra Kumar Devesh, Deputy Secretary of the Akademi.
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