Bareilly — Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University, in joint collaboration with Roshnai Trust, organized an award distribution ceremony and a poets’ meet (Kavi Sammelan) on the occasion of Hindi Fortnight (Hindi Pakhwada) yesterday at the Prof. S.V. Singh Memorial Auditorium on the university campus.
The program began with a lamp-lighting ceremony before Maa Sharda, performed by Vice Chancellor Prof. Anil Kumar Rai and guest of honour Prof. A.D.N. Bajpai, former Vice Chancellor.
Program convenor Prof. Vijay Bahadur Singh Yadav called on attendees to use the Hindi language in everyday life. Program coordinator Prof. Ashutosh Priya described Hindi as a matter of national pride. The program was compered by Dr. Ruchi Dwivedi.
The poets’ meet opened with Umesh Trigunayat, who spoke of Hindi as a symbol of India’s honour and dignity. Renowned poet Preeti Tripathi, who travelled from Delhi, moved the audience deeply with a poem reflecting on the inner strength, resilience, and quiet endurance of daughters, likening them to roses that never fully bloom.
Noted poet Akhilesh Pratap Singh captivated listeners with verses on the yearning to fly free like birds despite being tied to the ground. Renowned ghazal writer Alok Yadav, also from Delhi, held the audience spellbound with couplets drawing on mythological imagery — invoking figures like Ravana, Ram, and Marich — to express weariness, longing, and hope for the future of the younger generation, particularly those who deserve books rather than tools in their hands.
Well-known poet Siya Sachdev enthralled the gathering with verses on finding solace even in tears that show no visible colour. Young poet Ujjwal drew applause with lines about watching stars fall and, in turn, growing wary of flying too high. Prof. A.D.N. Bajpai remarked that poetry is something to be lived, not merely written. The poets’ meet was compered by Dr. Avnish Yadav.
Program coordinator Dr. Preeti Yadav felicitated the participants of the essay competition. The program concluded with Vice Chancellor Prof. Anil Kumar Rai describing the Hindi language and Indian culture as complementary to one another.
The event was attended by Registrar Mahendra Kumar, Prof. S.K. Pandey, Prof. Sanjay Mishra, Prof. Santosh Arora, Prof. Trilochan Sharma, Prof. Ravindra Singh, Dr. Abha Trivedi, Prof. Anita Tyagi, Dr. Saurabh Verma, Prof. Yashpal Singh, Dr. Pawan Kumar Singh, along with faculty members, researchers, and students.
Reported by Akhilesh Chandra Saxena, Bareilly
