Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the third edition of the Anushthan Gomti Book Festival 2024, organized by the National Book Trust (NBT) India, in Lucknow on Saturday. The festival, being held at the River Front Park, will run from November 9 to 17.

Speaking at the event, CM Yogi Adityanath highlighted the importance of reading, quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's words, "When citizens read, the country leads." He expressed pride in Uttar Pradesh's rich literary heritage, noting that the state is the birthplace of Maharishi Valmiki, who authored the world’s first epic, the Ramayana. He also referred to Tulsidas Ji’s transformation of the Ramayana into the local Awadhi language, with Ramcharitmanas now sung in homes across the region.

In his address, CM Yogi acknowledged the challenges posed by the digital age, where technology often controls rather than serves us. He pointed out that youth today spend an average of six hours on their smartphones, urging them to use this time constructively for the benefit of society. He emphasized the need to promote the works of good writers and encourage young readers to engage with creative writing to boost their creativity.

"Technology should be used wisely, but we must not become overly dependent on it," CM Yogi added, stressing the importance of maintaining traditional values of listening, analyzing, and learning from good literature.

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