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June 21, 2026 (Sunday)
Dialogue Meeting Minutes
National Literary Seminar and Poetry Conference
Topic: "Great Poet Jaishankar Prasad: Dimensions of Greatness"
Date : 21 June 2026
Timings: 4:00 PM to 6:50 PM
Medium: Google Meet (Online)
Organized by: Mahakavi Jaishankar Prasad Trust and Literaturenama
Conducted by: Vishal Malviya
launch the program
Program Director Vishal Malviya
The National Literary Seminar and Poetry Conference was inaugurated by Vishal Malviya, Editor-in-Chief and Program Director of Literaturenama. He quoted the famous lines of the great poet Jaishankar Prasad:
"The electrons of power, scattered in a state of confusion, are helpless;
Let everyone coordinate and humanity will become victorious."
The program started with the recitation of.
He welcomed and congratulated all the scholars, writers, researchers, students, and literature lovers present. In his opening remarks, he highlighted the objectives of Literaturenama and the Mahakavi Jaishankar Prasad Trust, saying that both organizations are continuously working to preserve and promote literature, culture, language, and the Indian knowledge tradition.
Giving a brief introduction to the life and literature of the great poet Jaishankar Prasad, he said that Prasad is not only a leading pillar of Chhayavad, but also a great interpreter of Indian culture, history, national consciousness, and human values. Citing works like Kamayani, Aansoo, Lahar, Chandragupta, Skandagupta, and Dhruvasvamini, he underscored Prasad's multifaceted talent.
Saraswati Vandana
Shri Thakur
Following this, Shri Thakurji presented a prayer to Goddess Saraswati. His melodious and soulful presentation filled the online forum with a devotional atmosphere. His melodious voice captivated all participants present. Literaturenama and the Mahakavi Jaishankar Prasad Trust expressed their heartfelt gratitude.
Welcome Address and Introduction of the Trust
Kavita Prasad
Kavita Prasad, President of Mahakavi Jaishankar Prasad Trust, while welcoming all the guests and participants, threw light on the objectives, works and future plans of the Trust.
He said that the great poet Jaishankar Prasad should not be confined to curriculum, but rather needs to be made accessible to the masses. He said that Prasad is not only a poet, but also a representative thinker of Indian culture, whose literature offers a wonderful synthesis of nation, humanity, culture, philosophy, and sensibility.
He described the foundation of the Trust, its objectives, and the efforts of its founder, Avdesh Kumar Gupta. He explained that the Trust has been organizing various programs to disseminate Prasad's literature to the public, encourage research, and connect young people with Indian literature.
Chief Guest
Dr. Sushil Kumar Pandey 'Sahityendu'
Chief guest Dr. Sushil Kumar Pandey 'Sahityaendu', while thanking the organizers, said that seminars focused on great poets like Jaishankar Prasad are the need of the hour.
He said that Prasad was not only a poet but also a playwright, short story writer, novelist, and philosophical thinker. His literature cannot be confined to any one genre.
He interestingly remarked that just as there is "Shankar" in Jaishankar Prasad, there is also "Shankar" in Karunashankar Upadhyay. Both are embodiments of extraordinary practice and creativity in their respective fields.
He specifically mentioned Prof. Dr. Karunashankar Upadhyay's book, "Jaishankar Prasad: Dimensions of Greatness." He said that this book is a crucial text for understanding Prasad's personality and work.
He explained that this 464-page treatise evaluates Prasad's greatness based on 18 parameters. It presents a thorough analysis of Prasad's self-suffering, world-suffering, hedonism, nationalism, cultural consciousness, sense of history, humanistic vision, and universal humanity.
Chief Guest -
Prof. Dr. Karunashankar Upadhyay
(Senior Professor and Chairman, University of Mumbai, Defence Expert)
The most important and thought-provoking session of the seminar was the presidential address by Prof. Dr. Karunashankar Upadhyay.
He said that since his student days, he had felt that Jaishankar Prasad had not been given the justice he deserved in Hindi literature. He was often reduced to a mere Chhayavadi poet or the author of Kamayani, whereas his literature stands on par with the greatest authors of world literature.
He explained that this realization inspired him to write "Jaishankar Prasad: Dimensions of Greatness." This research, begun in 1991, continued for nearly 31 years and was published as a book in 2022.
He said that this book is not merely a critique but a reassessment of Prasad's towering personality. It attempts to understand his greatness through 18 paradigms, inspired by the structure of the 18 chapters of the Bhagavad Gita.
He said that Prasad's literature leads humanity from despair to hope, from fragmentation to harmony, and from sorrow to joy. The hedonism of Kamayani is not merely a philosophical principle but a vision of life.
He elaborated on how, despite the adverse circumstances of his childhood, such as the deaths of his parents and elder brother, Prasad transformed his personal suffering into the suffering of all humanity. This is why his literature rises from personal experiences to become the literature of universal humanity.
Referring to Chandragupta, Skandagupta, Dhruvasvamini, and other plays, he said that Prasad revived Indian history and awakened national consciousness. His plays are not just literature, but documents of cultural renaissance.
He also introduced his academic and literary journey. He was born on April 15, 1968, in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh. He is currently a senior professor and head of the Hindi Department at the University of Mumbai. He has published 35 books. He has guided 38 PhD and 55 MPhil scholars.
Referring to his major works – Jaishankar Prasad: Dimensions of Greatness, World Context of Hindi, Unique India, Rereading of Modern Poetry, Rereading of Fiction, Rereading of Medieval Poetry, Western Poetic Thought etc., he highlighted their importance in Hindi criticism.
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Q&A session
Question from Sunita Mandal
Sunita Mandal said she felt blessed to have heard from all the scholars present at the event. She expressed her desire to keep the book "Jaishankar Prasad: Dimensions of Greatness" in her personal library.
He quoted Prasad's famous poem—
"Take me there slowly, my sailor, by making me forget..."
Questioned in the context of.
Responding, Professor Upadhyaya said that it would be a mistake to view this poem as escapism. It is a poem of introspection, accumulation of inner strength, and introspection. He explained that Prasad's literature does not inspire people to escape from the world, but rather to understand themselves and return stronger.
Vishal Malviya's question
Vishal Malviya asked whether when he started writing the book, did he anticipate that it would take 31 years?
In response, Dr. Upadhyaya said that any major and serious task requires time. He explained that he worked continuously on this subject from 1991 to 2022. During this time, he continued teaching, researching, and writing other books. He added that if he had to devote more time to securing justice for Prasad, he would have been willing to do so.
Statement by Abhinav Arun
Abhinav Arun expressed concern about the current state of the Hindi language. He said that the form of Hindi is gradually changing and it is the responsibility of those involved in literature to maintain the dignity and purity of Hindi.
Prof. Upadhyay agreed to this and said that Hindi is not only the language of the past but also the language of the future.
Question by Varun Singh Gautam
Varun Singh Gautam raised questions on the future of Hindi, employment and the increasing dominance of English.
In reply, Prof. Upadhyaya discussed in detail the scientific nature of Hindi, the phonetic features of the Devanagari script, the number of Hindi speakers in the world, the increasing presence of Hindi in digital media and the possibilities of Hindi in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
He said that Hindi is one of the largest languages in the world and today its importance is continuously increasing in technology, education, business and global communication.
You can add this as a separate heading to the minutes:
The future of Hindi: A meaningful discussion
During the symposium, a serious and thought-provoking discussion was held on the topic, "Is the future of Hindi in danger?" This discussion was initiated by Varun Singh Gautam. He stated that English is currently being given greater importance in education, employment, technical fields, and competitive examinations, leading young people to believe that the future of Hindi is uncertain. He raised the question of where Hindi's future will lie when most professional and technical opportunities are linked to English.
Responding to this, Moderator Vishal Malviya said that the future of Hindi is not in danger. Hindi has always been relevant and will remain so in the future. He added that the importance of a language is determined not only by employment, but also by its cultural, social, and humanitarian impact. Hindi is the language of expression for millions of people and is deeply rooted in Indian society.
Following this, Prof. Dr. Karunashankar Upadhyay elaborated on the topic. He stated that Hindi is not only a language of emotions, but is also becoming established as a language of knowledge, science, technology, and global communication. He explained that the Devanagari script is one of the most scientific scripts in the world because it writes exactly as it is spoken.
He said that more than 600 million people worldwide speak and understand Hindi, and it is one of the world's major languages. Hindi's presence on the internet, social media, YouTube, Google, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital media is steadily increasing. Today, major technology companies offer their products and services in Hindi.
Dr. Upadhyay said that the Hindi crisis is not actually a crisis of Hindi itself, but of our attitude towards it. If writers, teachers, students, and society collectively adopt a positive attitude towards Hindi, the future of Hindi is extremely bright. He also said that Hindi should not be seen as a rival language to English, but as a powerful language for global communication.
At the end of the discussion, all participants agreed that the future of Hindi is not in danger; rather, with changing times, both its form and scope are expanding. The only need is to maintain a sense of confidence and respect for Hindi and to connect the new generation with Hindi literature and language.
During this discussion, the views of Abhinav Arun, Varun Singh Gautam, Vishal Malviya and Prof. Dr. Karunashankar Upadhyay were particularly noteworthy.
Discussion on Rabindranath Tagore and Jaishankar Prasad
During the discussion, a comparative review of Rabindranath Tagore's Geetanjali and the plays of Jaishankar Prasad was also done.
Dr. Upadhyaya said that Gitanjali represents spiritual introspection, while Prasad's plays represent national consciousness, cultural awakening, and historical awareness. He added that Prasad's literature can be placed on par with the works of any world-class literary figure.
Statement by Ashish Amber
Ashish Ambar offered his thoughts on Prasad's plays, stories, novels, and poetry. He said that Prasad's literary achievements at such a young age are unparalleled in Hindi literature.
Context of meeting with the President
In response to Vishal Malviya's question, Professor Upadhyay recalled his meeting with President Draupadi Murmu. He explained that the discussion regarding the book extended beyond the scheduled time. The President showed special interest in Jaishankar Prasad's literature and expressed deep respect for his literary contributions.
Thank You Note
At the end of the program, Avdesh Kumar Gupta, President of the Mahakavi Jaishankar Prasad Trust, expressed his gratitude to all the guests, speakers, participants, and audience. He said that programs like this play an important role in bringing the literature of Mahakavi Jaishankar Prasad to the new generation.
Conclusion
Finally, Director Vishal Malviya thanked all the participants and collaborators. He urged them to continue their active participation in literary activities in the future.
The programme concluded successfully with a pledge of dedication towards literature, culture and national consciousness.
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