Nagpur has been a guiding force for India’s social, cultural awakening: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai: Nagpur stands as a city of cultural landmarks and is a guiding force for India’s social and cultural awakening, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Sunday.

“Nagpur stands as a city of cultural landmarks. From the strong nationalist ethos of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to the historic Dhammachakra Pravartan initiated by MahaManav BharatRatna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, the city has always been a guiding force for India’s social and cultural awakening,” Fadnavis, a veteran BJP leader with RSS background, said inaugurating the 'Zero Mile Lit Festival' organised under the 'Nagpur Book Festival 2025’.

Fadnavis interacted with representatives at various book stalls and distributed copies of the book Exam Warriors authored by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to school students, encouraging them to adopt stress-free and value-driven learning.

"Vidarbha has been a confluence of languages where Marathi literature flourished with the same intensity as Hindi literature. Nagpur remains the only city where both linguistic traditions continue to thrive with equal vibrancy reflecting a truly unique literary heritage,” he said.

"Through the 'Zero Mile Lit Festival', Nagpur’s cultural identity receives a new enrichment. The National Book Trust has played an important role in reviving the reading culture. The Pune Book Festival has set several Guinness World Records and efforts have been put in to recognise it as a UNESCO World Heritage event. With the growing enthusiasm, Nagpur’s Book Festival too is poised to reach similar heights in the coming years,” he said.

“Modi has given the nation a new direction with the guiding principle of “Vikas Bhi Aur Virasat Bhi” through the new education policy. Recalling the ancient glory of Takshashila, the Indus Valley Civilisation and other civilisational milestones, the collective responsibility is to pass on the love for reading to the younger generations, for India to reclaim the stature of Vishwaguru. Encouragingly, the youth are once again turning towards books, leading to a knowledge driven society,” Fadnavis added.