New Delhi, Feb 22, 2017: An extravagant celebration of literature, marked by the presence of over 200 writers, scholars, poets, translators and critics from all over India is on offer at the ongoing Festival of Letters organised by the Sahitya Akademi here.

The festival officially kicked off on Tuesday with eminent Kannada writer and Fellow of Sahitya Akademi, S.L. Bhyrappa inaugurating three-day-long event.

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The theme for this year's Festival is Folklore and Oral Literature of India, the Akademi said in a statement. Sahitya Akademi Awards will be conferred on 24 writers on Wednesday at Kamani Auditorium here.

Eminent scholar and Historian Ramachandra Guha will be delivering "Samvatsar Lecture" on Thursday. The topic of his lecture will be "The Craft of Historical Biography".

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"This year, the festival is starting on 21st February 2017, which is the international Mother Tongue Day and the Akademi is also organising a two-day National Seminar on "Protecting Mother Tongues," where a number of literary stalwarts will participate," Sahitya Akademi Secretary K Sreenivasarao said.

The Festival of Letters will culminate on February 26. (IANS)