Greater Noida,  Nov, 17 :

Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR, successfully concluded the 3rd edition of the Crooked Lines Literature Festival, a celebration of creativity, storytelling, and literary talent among young writers. The event also featured the prize-giving ceremony for the Crooked Lines Short Story Competition, which awarded a combined prize of one lakh rupees. Organized by the Department of English, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the festival aims to nurture literary creativity and provide a platform for emerging talent.

image006

The festival attracted some of the brightest young minds from across the country, solidifying the University’s commitment to fostering the next generation of writers and thinkers in India’s creative landscape. Distinguished figures in contemporary literature graced the event, including:

  • Prof. Sam North, award-winning novelist and scriptwriter.

  • Prof. Jonathan Cook, Associate Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Exeter (UK).

  • Prof. Emeritus Ratna Pathak Shah, acclaimed actor and director.

  • Trisha Bora, Senior Commissioning Editor at HarperCollins India.

  • Samit Basu, Indian novelist and filmmaker.

Their presence elevated the festival’s stature, offering invaluable insights and inspiration to young writers while enabling dynamic exchanges between seasoned literary experts and emerging talent.

Dr. Ananya Mukherjee, Vice-Chancellor of Shiv Nadar University, said;
“The festival centers around the most powerful tools we have: our words and our connections as fellow human beings. In a world rapidly developing other tools at overwhelming speed, the need for humanity, imagination, and storytelling has never been greater. Our stories and voices matter, and this university is the perfect place for these discussions.”

The festival witnessed over 150 attendees, featuring lively discussions, captivating performances, and the prize-giving ceremony. The Crooked Lines Short Story Competition received 450 entries from students nationwide. Writers of the top 30 longlisted stories were invited to campus with their chaperones to participate in the festival. The top three winners—Krishnam Kapila, Akshita Ganesh, and Zaina Ahmed—were awarded by the distinguished jury.

A notable highlight of the festival was Prof. Jonathan Cook’s perspective on AI-generated literature:
“AI is already reshaping literature. An AI publisher in America plans to release twelve thousand novels next year without paying human authors. Readers will increasingly seek books confirmed as human-written. This raises critical questions about defining and verifying human authorship and ultimately deepens our understanding of human creativity.”

Ratna Pathak Shah addressed the young writers:
“You have to be okay with not getting it right the first time. Keep practicing your art, and be ready when the right opportunity comes.”

In addition, the festival screened the cult classic adaptation Matilda (1996), directed by Danny DeVito and based on Roald Dahl’s 1988 novel, further enriching the literary celebration.

Shiv Nadar University continues its commitment to organizing events that celebrate creativity and inspire intellectual growth. Building on the success of this festival, the University plans to host more such initiatives to empower the next generation of creative thinkers.

If you want, I can also create a much shorter press-release version that highlights the key points in a punchy, media-ready format. Do you want me to do that?