Rich Dogra traditions come alive in women’s storytelling programme – Rising Kashmir

Jammu, Oct 13: The Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL) Monday hosted a day-long “Women’s Storytelling” programme (Mahila Kahani Paatth) at Jammu, celebrating the literary contributions of women short story writers in Dogri. For the first time, the program exclusively featured female writers whose works beautifully reflected rich Dogra traditions and cultural ethos.

As per a statement issued here, the inaugural session was presided over by Prof. Sushma Sharma, Head of the Department of Dogri, University of Jammu, with Krishan Sharma, senior Dogri writer, as the Chief Guest. The presidium also included Dr. Javaid Rahi, Divisional Head, JKAACL Jammu; Reeta Khadyal, Editor, Dogri; and Krishna Prem, senior Dogri short story writer. Welcoming the guests, Dr. Javaid Rahi highlighted the role of women in enriching Dogri literature, pledging that the Academy will continue providing platforms to amplify female voices in storytelling and creative writing. Krishan Sharma praised women writers for shaping contemporary Dogri literature and stressed the importance of gender inclusivity in literary forums. He suggested further initiatives to encourage women’s participation and strengthen regional literature. In her Presidential Address, Prof. Sushma Sharma emphasised the evolving narrative styles of women writers and their growing influence on Dogri literature, underlining the need for gender representation in literary spaces. During the inaugural session, Krishna Prem presented her story “Ek Malati”.  The programme drew an audience of eminent writers, scholars, and students, with prominent attendees including Padma Shri Mohan Singh, Prof. Raj Kumar, Dr. Padam Dev Singh, Dr. Ashok Khajuria, Sheikh Mohd. Kalyan, Jung S. Verman, Dr. Ashok Gupta, Capt. Lalit Sharma, Vijay Verma, and others. The Mahila Kahani Paatth not only highlighted the creativity and literary skill of women writers but also reaffirmed their vital role in preserving and promoting the rich cultural heritage of the Dogra community.