Books leave more impact on young minds than social media posts: Usha Uthup

Kolkata, Jan 10 (PTI) India's pop icon Usha Uthup on Friday said that books create a more lasting impact on young minds than posts on social media.

Inaugurating the 16th edition of the Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival (AKLF) here, she urged the young generation to reconnect with literature.

"Reading books… feeling books … it is an experience which is totally different, which will never age. Printed words create a lasting impact on young minds. WhatsApp and Instagram are fine, but we need to get back to books to trace our roots,” Uthup said.

The 77-year-old singer captivated the audience with her rendition of "Ganesha Vandana" and the iconic James Bond song 'Skyfall' originally by Adele, blending tradition with modernity.

Uthup described the literary meet as a congregation of literary figures and people from other fields of art as a marvellous occasion where personalities from all over the world take part, exchanging ideas.

Reminiscing the day when she had first attended a literary meet, Uthup joked: "I think people must be wondering what the 'Ramba Ho' singer is doing at a literary meet?" But as her tryst with literary meets continued, audiences must have been reconciled to that reality, she quipped.

Talking about her profile and identity as a singer, Uthup said, "I am able to carry on with the help of my team, sound technicians and also camera." The singer shared her reflection on the 55-year-long journey in music and paid tribute to the listeners. "We can't do anything without our audiences," Uthup said.

In a session during the day, model and fitness icon Milind Soman dwelt on the book, ‘Keep Moving’ which he co-authored with his mother Usha and wife Ankita.

Soman, who will turn 60 this year, said, “Fitness is the ability to enjoy life. It’s not about competition but about being physically and mentally ready to embrace every moment.” He reminisced about his early days as a competitive swimmer from the age of 9 to 23.

“I disliked running for a long time, but the Mumbai Marathon in 2004 changed that. It sparked something in me, and I trained to prove to myself that Indians could do it. Despite doubts, I completed the 21 kilometers comfortably,” he said.

Soman also spoke passionately about Pinkathon, considered India’s biggest women’s run, which he founded to encourage women to take up fitness in a safe, judgment-free environment.

The three-day literary meet boasts an impressive line-up of speakers, with more than 120 writers and prominent figures from different spheres, gracing the festival.

Notable speakers include Dr Alka Pande, Anand Neelakantan, Anita Agnihotri, Ashis Nandy, Blossom Kochhar, Chinmoy Guha, Kunal Basu, Mani Shankar Aiyar, Rajdeep Sardesai, Ramachandra Guha, Ruchir Joshi, Shobhaa De, Sugata Bose, Sumantra Ghosal, Shaun Kenworthy, William Dalrymple and Ila Arun.

AKLF Director Anjum Katyal said, “Join us in celebrating the whole spectrum of writers and books, from established names to new writing, from poetry to children and young adult readers. Just like a good bookstore, AKLF offers something both fun and meaningful for everyone." PTI SUS NN