Lucknow | A literary discussion on detective fiction was organized at the Press Club by the Gahmar-based Sahitya Saroj Sanstha in memory of pioneering detective writer Gopalaram Gahmari. The event paid tribute to Gahmari while also celebrating the launch of a literary YouTube channel, accompanied by an evening of poetic expressions.
In the presidential address, Prof. Vishwabhar Shukla analyzed the works of renowned Indian detective novelists such as Surendra Mohan Pathak and Om Prakash Sharma, alongside international authors like John le Carré and Tom Clancy. He highlighted the evolution and global depth of the detective genre.
Earlier, convener Akhand Pratap Singh Gahmari welcomed the speakers and introduced participants to the diverse and pioneering detective writings of Gopalaram Gahmari, widely regarded as one of India’s earliest detective storytellers.
Speakers including Archana Bajpai emphasized that mystery and detective writing demands greater complexity than conventional storytelling. R.B. Sharma remarked that a successful detective writer must construct narratives with finer detail than even romantic fiction writers, steadily unfolding the plot with precision. Dharm Dev Singh Yadav “Dharmesh” noted that detective fiction gains strength through analytical storytelling based on facts, while Devendra Modi discussed the influence of detective films and iconic fictional characters on popular culture.
A key highlight of the programme was the launch of the Sahitya Saroj YouTube Channel in the presence of Rajveer Ratan, Om Ji Mishra, Akhand Pratap Singh, and coordinators Jyoti Kiran Ratan and Manju Srivastava.
In the second session, several literary awards were presented by Sahitya Saroj Patrika. Sachchidanand Tiwari “Shalabh” received the Mahadevi Kavy Gaurav, Soumya was honoured with the Sahitya Saroj Actress Award, and Dr. Doge Damdir was conferred the Subhadra Kumari Kavy Shri Samman. The book Geeton ke Pakhi was awarded the Mahadevi Verma Award, while Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav received the Kavy Ratna honour.
The chief guest and president of Akhil Bharatiya Sahitya Parishad Awadh Prant, Vijay Tripathi, attended the event. Before the poetry session, the book “Gahmar aur Gopalaram” was formally released.
The evening witnessed vibrant poetic recitations by several poets including Seema Sarkar, Sachchidanand Tiwari “Shalabh,” Renuka Singh, Sampatti Kumar Mishra, Bhramar Baiswari, Dharmdev Singh Yadav “Dharmesh,” Dr. Arti Vajpayee, Nirupama Gupta, Dr. Ram Lakhan Verma, R.B. Verma “Pagal,” Devendra Modi, Kumar Saurabh, and Ishwar Chandra Vidya Vachaspati.
Concluding the event, Renuka Singh, Chief Editor of Evergreen Pustak, expressed gratitude and announced that upcoming programmes will focus on women’s traditional attire showcases and beauty competitions such as “Misses Uttar Pradesh.”
