VP Radhakrishnan Hails Bihar’s Ancient Wisdom at Unmesha Festival
GG News Bureau
Patna, 28th Sept: Vice-President of India C.P. Radhakrishnan lauded Bihar as the “land of Dharma, culture, and knowledge” while addressing the valedictory session of the third edition of Unmesha – International Literature Festival in Patna on Sunday.
Opening the session with a minute of silence for victims of the Karur, Tamil Nadu rally tragedy, the Vice-President celebrated Bihar’s ancient intellectual and spiritual heritage, highlighting Nalanda and Vikramshila Universities as “intellectual powerhouses of the ancient world.” He noted that efforts to revive Nalanda with global support reaffirm India’s historic role as a center of learning.
Radhakrishnan cited Bihar’s democratic traditions, pointing to Vaishali’s 2,500-year-old republic and drawing parallels with the Kudavolai election system of the Chola kingdom. He recalled powerful empires such as Magadha and the Mauryas, and the region’s deep spiritual connections through Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism, including Lord Mahavira’s message of non-violence and the Bodh Gaya enlightenment of the Buddha.
Reflecting on modern history, he remembered the Champaran Satyagraha and the Total Revolution movement led by Jayaprakash Narayan, sharing that he himself joined the movement at the age of 19. He also praised Bihar’s continuing cultural contributions, from Mithila paintings and folk theatre to the eco-conscious Chhath festival.
Calling Unmesha “an awakening of new ideas and narratives,” Radhakrishnan said literature can bridge divides of language, culture, and geography, helping realize the vision of “Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.”
The four-day festival, organized by Sahitya Akademi with the Ministry of Culture and Government of Bihar, hosted 550 writers, poets, and scholars from 15 countries and over 100 languages. Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha, and Sahitya Akademi President Madhav Kaushik were among the dignitaries present.
Earlier, the Vice-President paid floral tributes to Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan at J.P. Golambar in Patna, marking his first visit to Bihar since assuming office.
