The fourth edition of Mimansa – Children’s Literature Festival 2026 opened on Wednesday at the historic Gaiety Complex, Shimla, bringing together young readers, writers, artists and educators for a three-day celebration of literature, creativity, storytelling and self-expression.Organised jointly by the Department of Language and Culture, Government of Himachal Pradesh, and Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla, the festival is being held from August 19 to 21. The opening ceremony was formally inaugurated by noted author and National Award-winning voice artist Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan. Nalini Ramachandran, Chief Guest for the closing ceremony, and renowned cartoonist and illustrator Ajit Narayan, Guest of Honour, also joined the inaugural proceedings.
The opening day began with the Inter-School Declamation Competition for Classes 5 to 7, where young speakers confidently addressed themes around education, technology, books, values and the future. The competition was judged by Pooja Priyamvada, Aarti Gupta and Dr Ritu Sharma, who encouraged participants to focus on clarity, diction, confidence and effective presentation.
Over 350 Students to Participate
Mimansa 2026 is bringing together more than 350 students from schools, colleges and universities over the three days. Participating schools include Swaran Public High School, Doon Valley Public School, St. Thomas School, Saraswati Shiksha Mandir High School, Shanan, Monal Public Senior Secondary School, Auckland House School for Boys, Auckland House School, Sambhota Tibetan School, Delhi Public School Shimla, Saraswati Paradise International Public School, Dayanand Public School, Monal Public School, GSSS Baghi, ECI Chalet Day School, Sacred Heart Convent, St. Edward’s School, Loreto Convent Tara Hall, SVGC Ghumarwin, Chapslee School, GSSS Majhar and Aryan Public School Sunni, among others.
Higher-education institutions participating in the festival include Government Sanskrit College, Sundar Nagar, Sanjauli College, Rajkiya Kanya Mahavidyalaya, Himachal Pradesh University, Kotshara College and St. Bede’s College.
The participation of both school and college students has added an important intergenerational dimension to the festival, creating a shared space for young readers, aspiring writers, artists and learners to interact with authors and creative professionals.
Books, Writers and Young Readers at the Heart of Day 1
The book sessions were among the major highlights of the opening day. Author Ranjodh Singh interacted with young readers around his book Maili Kameez, in a session moderated by Dr Ashoo Khosla and joined by Sujal Sharma, Aahana and Shagun Ranote.
Another engaging session featured author Minakshi Chaudhry, Dr Meenakshi Faith Paul and young co-authors Shagun Ranote and Midori Das, discussing Is The House Haunted? and The Humility of Lies. The books, developed under Keekli’s Angels, reflect the Trust’s continuing efforts to mentor young writers and provide children with opportunities to see their work in print.
A special interaction with Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan, moderated by veteran columnist and theatre personality Srinivas Joshi, introduced young readers Lakshit and Daksh to the creative possibilities of language and poetry through Let’s Use Our Words and Haiku, Me and You (I Love You).
For senior students, filmmaker and President’s National Film Award-winning creative professional Vivek Mohan conducted the Books to Script Workshop, introducing participants to the process of transforming a written story into a visual script. The workshop will culminate in a final competition on Day 2.
The session on Fantasy Factory, an anthology published by Keekli Charitable Trust, brought together Dr Usha Bande and young writers Ashmita and Anvesha, along with emerging authors Kyna Taneja, Sejal Kimta and Sneha Harnot. The session celebrated young literary talent and encouraged children to take their first steps towards becoming published authors.
Art, Poetry and Creative Expression
Art and visual storytelling took centre stage with renowned cartoonist and illustrator Ajit Narayan, who conducted the interactive “Fun With Art: Cartoons in Books” workshop. Joined by young artist Sakshi of Rajkiya Kanya Mahavidyalaya, Shimla, he demonstrated how simple lines, expressions and imagination can transform ideas into memorable characters and stories.
This was followed by the Inter-School and College Art Competition, judged by Dr Anjana Bhardwaj and Dr Bhader Singh.
The day concluded with a Poetry Workshop led by Dr Meenakshi Faith Paul and Hindi poet Atma Ranjan. Through readings, discussions and creative exercises, participants explored imagination, emotions, language and personal expression, with young poets also sharing their original work.
Literature as a Space to Imagine and Express
The organisers emphasised that Mimansa is more than a literary festival—it is a space where children can read, question, imagine, create and discover their own voices. The enthusiastic response on Day 1 reaffirmed the growing interest among young people in books, storytelling, poetry, art and creative expression.
Day 2 Brings More Competitions and Conversations
Building on the energy of the opening day, Day 2 will feature a packed programme of competitions, book discussions and creative workshops. Key attractions include the Vocabulary and Language Skills Competition, Storytelling and Writing Workshop, Heritage Walk, Art Workshop, Declamation Competitions for middle and senior categories, and the much-awaited Books to Script Final Competition.
The festival will continue to bring authors, educators, artists and young readers together, creating opportunities for meaningful conversations and creative discovery. With two more days of activities ahead, Mimansa 2026 continues its mission of giving young minds the freedom and confidence to imagine, express and create.
Nurturing Creative Minds: Keekli Charitable Trust’s Remarkable Literary Journey
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Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
