East Coast Railway hosts ‘Gift A Book’ literary campaign on MEMU train

The East Coast Railway, in collaboration with Bhubaneswar-based Walking Book Fairs, organized the ‘Gift A Book’ Rail Reading Campaign on the Bhubaneswar-Daspalla MEMU train. The initiative aimed to promote reading habits by transforming a routine commuter journey into a mobile literary hub.

Approximately 100 readers and writers participated in the event, which included the distribution of 200 free books to passengers. The journey featured interactions with several noted authors, including Jerry Pinto, Sarat Chandra Das, Christoph Ransmayr, Aakriti Mandhwani, and Chandrahas Choudhary. Activities included poetry readings, literary discussions, and a collective silent reading session inside the train coaches.

The program, inaugurated by East Coast Railway General Manager Parmeshwar Funkwal, extended to the Daspalla railway station with a ‘Poetry on the Platform’ session. The return trip to Bhubaneswar concluded with a local touch, featuring ‘Mudhi Masala’ alongside informal literary conversations.