Archive · 21 Aug 2026
Newtown Literature Festival Examines Creativity in the AI Era
A big literature festival was held in Newtown for three days.
Writers, poets, teachers, theatre workers and visitors attended it.
People read poems, gave speeches and talked about books and theatre.
Joy Goswami said poems should come from a person’s inner feelings, not only from outside events.
Other speakers discussed memory, friendship and how reading can change when someone loses their eyesight.
The festival also asked whether children’s books focus too much on scary stories and thrillers.
Speakers talked about how technology and artificial intelligence are changing writing.
They said young people should still trust their imagination and create original work.
The 12th Newtown Literature Festival and 10th National Poetry Festival ran concurrently for three days at Nazrul Tirtha.
The programme featured speeches, poetry readings, cultural events and discussions on changes in Indian literature.
Poet Joy Goswami emphasized poetry’s inward creative impulse, while other speakers reflected on memory, friendship and perception.
Panels examined children’s literature, Indian poetry, multilingual circulation, digital platforms and the changing theatre landscape.
Dhrubajyoti Chattopadhyay and Aditi Basu Roy said technology should not weaken young people’s drive to create original work.
- Who
- Writers, poets, academicians, theatre personalities and visitors attended; speakers included Joy Goswami, Amar Mitra, Dhrubajyoti Chattopadhyay and Aditi Basu Roy.
- What
- The Newtown Literature Festival and National Poetry Festival explored literature, poetry, theatre and creativity in the AI era.
- When
- The festivals took place over three days; the article does not provide calendar dates.
- Where
- Nazrul Tirtha, at the Mani Shankar Mukhopadhyay Mukto Mancha in Newtown.
- Why
- The event was organized to discuss literary changes in contemporary India and the effects of technology on creative work.
- Literature festival
- 12th Newtown Literature Festival
- Poetry festival
- 10th National Poetry Festival
- Duration
- Three days
- Venue
- Nazrul Tirtha, including the Mani Shankar Mukhopadhyay Mukto Mancha
- Organizer
- Newtown Bookfair Committee
- Key themes
- Children’s literature, Indian poetry, multilingual circulation, digital platforms and theatre
- AI discussion
- Dhrubajyoti Chattopadhyay and Aditi Basu Roy argued that technology should not extinguish creative ambition.