Rajnath to inaugurate third Military Lit Fest in Chandigarh on Dec 13

Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh will preside over the closing ceremony of the event

The three-day Military Literature Festival (MLF)-2019 will be inaugurated by defence minister Rajnath Singh in Chandigarh on December 13, Punjab tourism and culture minister Charanjit Channi said on Saturday.

(From left) Lt Gen Gurpal Singh Sangha, chief of staff western command of the Indian Army and Lt Gen TS Shergill (retd) addressing media persons at Punjab Bhawan on Saturday. (HT Photo)

Addressing a press conference, Channi said Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh will preside over the closing ceremony of the event and will honour the descendants of Victoria Cross winners of the Burma campaign during World War II.

Senior adviser to Amarinder, Lt Gen. (retd) TS Shergill, who accompanied Channi, said the event will be an international forum to foster exchange of knowledge related to armed forces besides acquainting the youth with our glorious military heritage.

At least 22 panel discussions on issues of military and national significance will be held during the event. A special event will be held to commemorate India’s participation in the Burma campaign during World War II, the 75th anniversary of which falls next year, he added.

Shergill said eminent media experts, intellectuals and defence strategists such as Mark Tully, Ravish Kumar, former army chief general VP Malik, air chief marshal BS Dhanoa, Nandini Sundar, besides Oliver Everett, Kishwar Desai, Vivek Katju, and Prof Irfan Habib will participate in the festival.

The Balakot airstrikes, revocation of Article 370 and Taliban resurgence will come up for discussion during the event. About 10 books by noted defence and literary authors will also be released on the occasion, he added.

THE LIST OF PANELS

1.Article 370 and the death-knell of terrorism?

Panelists : AS Dulat – moderator , Ram Madhav , Manoj Joshi , Lt gen DS Hooda

2. The anarchy: The relentless rise of the East India Company and empire

Panelists : Mark Tully – Moderator , Oliver Everett – 20 to 30 minute AV presentation on the contribution of Britain to India in various fields and Walter Reid

3. Mediaeval military architecture – Forts of India

Panelists : Prof Pushpesh Pant – Moderator, Lt Gen DDS Sandhu , Amita Baig, GS Channi

4. The ISI, Taliban and Afghanistan

Panelists : Tilak Devasher – Moderator, V Balachandran, Vivek Katju, Christine Fair, Maj gen BK Sharma

5. The Taliban and ISIK in Kashmir

Panelists : Lt gen Ata Hasnain – Moderator, Lt gen DS Hooda, Abhinav Kumar, IPS, Tavleen Singh, AS Dulat, IPS

6. Ek Aur Satyagraha Bharat ki atma ke liye

Ravish Kumar

7. Shoulder to Shoulder - Interactive session with the UK military team 15/A/3

Panelists : Capt Amarinder Singh, Lt Gen TS Shergill , UK military team

8. Spymasters and cyber-intelligence in peace and war 15/B/4

Panelists : KC Verma – moderator, Lt gen Sanjive Langer, Jayadeva Ranade, Ritu Sarin