Day two of Vadodara’s literature festival paved the way for yet another exciting experience for the hundreds of literature lovers who gathered at PU’s campus. After an unforgettable inaugural ceremony by the renowned actress Shabana Azmi, the students had their minds and notepads ready to acquire more knowledge from personalities such as Chetan Bhagat, Chef Pankaj Bhadouria, Irfan Habib, Sadhvi Bhagwati Saraswati, Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil and Ramya Subramanyam. The festival presented a series of power-packed sessions bringing a diverse mix of genres, authors, poets and activists on one stage, from fiction to biographies, travel blogs to cookbooks among others. The students of the Faculty of Liberal Arts were among the key beneficiaries of this platform, with other attendees from various parts of the city and state also present for the literature festival.
Among the authors was Chetan Bhagat, a man of many titles including Indian Author, Columnist and YouTuber, who has also been named in Time magazine’s list of the world’s most influential people and is an alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad. During his professional journey, he has received the Young Alumni Achievers Award in the Art Entertainment category by IIMA. The author has made enormous contributions to the global literature industry through his published books which include One Night Call Center, Five Point Someone, The 3 Mistakes of My Life, 2 States, Revolution 2020 and Half Girlfriend, among others. Additionally, he is also the author of non-fiction books such as What Young India Wants and Making India Awesome. Chetan has shared the award for Best Screenplay for Kai Po Che at the Filmfare Awards with other screenplay writers. He is also a popular motivational speaker and has spoken at more than 800 organisations across 100 cities. Adding to the long list of his achievements is the CNN-IBN Indian of the Year award which he bagged in the entertainment category.
The Liberal Arts students of PU were once again privileged to be in the presence of Chef Pankaj Bhadouria, a winner of MasterChef India Season 1 and the first to have an official MasterChef cookbook. She is the author of top-selling cookbooks, and her reputable work has earned her the First Ladies award, which is given by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. Through her passion and interest in academia, she founded the Pankaj Bhadouria Culinary Academy that offers professional and certificate courses to amateur chefs. In addition, she is a brand ambassador of MasterChef Travels, Cox & Kings worldwide as well as the face of brands such as Knorr, Taaza Tea and HUL, among others. Her work has crossed national borders, as she was chosen as an Ambassador by the Spanish government to promote the use of olive oil in India. Moreover, Chef Pankaj is also the host of several cooking TV shows including Course with Pankaj, Chef Pankaj Ka Zayka and Just Like That, among others.
Another prominent personality at the festival was Sadhvi Bhagwati Saraswati, a well-reputed Director of the world-famous International Yoga Festival at Parmarth Niketan Ashram. During her life journey, she has touched many lives, making her a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for her commitment to voluntary service. She is also the Managing Editor of the Encyclopedia of Hinduism as well as an author of the bestselling memoir, Hollywood to the Himalayas: A Journey of Healing and Transformation. Sadhvi has contributed immensely to the global sphere and has been serving on the United Nations Advisory Council.
The author of many bestselling books and an IIT & IIM alumnus, Mr. Chetan Bhagat, recently attended the city’s first-ever Vadodara Literature Festival. He was vocal and candid during this interactive meet-up. On being asked how he decided the premise of the book he writes, he replied, “All art should come from the heart. Even in literature, if you want full satisfaction, it should come from within. For a real artist, it is not just only about being big or earning money, it is about what inspiration comes from the heart.”
The MasterChef Season 1 Winner, Entrepreneur, Brand Ambassador, TEDx speaker and author of the first official MasterChef cookbook, Miss Pankaj Bhadouria, was also seen attending the city’s literature fest. She advised the young students to always read the label and check the ingredients before buying any product. If they do not understand any ingredient, she advised them not to buy it. She said, “There are healthier options available. It might cost you 2-3 bucks more but that’s the price you pay for a healthy lifestyle.”
Sadhvi Bhagwati Saraswati, who has recently written the book From Hollywood to the Himalayas, addressed the audience while attending the VLF. Talking about her journey, she said, “I was a Stanford graduate and a PhD student when I first came to India. It was supposed to be a 3 months break from my studies in this country. Ideally, I had everything that makes a person happy. A good house, a great car and the best of education. But I wasn’t happy from within. All those material things don’t really make a person happy. And when I knew more about the Hindu culture and spirituality, I fell more in love with this place and I knew I had to stay here.”
As part of the festival activities, Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil, an Indian Prince and son of the Maharaja of Rajpipla, was also present at Vadodara Literature Festival. He is the founder of the charitable trust, Lakshya Trust, which won the Civil Society Award in 2007 for its contribution. His influence is not only limited to India; he has appeared as a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show for more than three episodes. These prominent figures came together to share insights with the students of PU and emphasised the use of literary works for impacting society and making a difference.
Beyond these key personalities, the festival also featured prominent figures such as Sonal Ved, food writer; Aakash Ranison, sustainability author; Anuja Chandramouli, author; Satyarth Nayak, screenwriter; Ashok Kumar Lahiri, Indian Economist; Harjeet Khanduja, author; Sundeep Singh from Accenture; Dr. Jaishree Sharad, celebrity cosmetic dermatologist; Parmesh Shahani, inclusion activist; Tamal Bandopadhyay, Indian business writer; Rishi Piparaiya, mentor capitalist; and Prachi Garg, Indian author, who took the centre stage.
A vast number of pressing topics of the age, including Sustainable Eating: Promoting Environmental Stewardship, Inking Inspiration: The Art of Storytelling, and Bhashaon Ka Sammelan: Dil Ke Desh Ki Kahaniyaan, were discussed during the panels. Students were not only inspired but were also able to gain insightful thoughts and new perspectives from these personalities during the literature festival.
