Bhubaneswar, Nov 18: KiiT International School’s much-awaited 11th National Children’s Literary Festival (NCLF) 2025 opened on a colourful and spirited note on Saturday, drawing students from across India for a celebration of imagination, creativity, and storytelling. The biggest attraction of the day was acclaimed actor Vikrant Massey, whose presence added excitement and star appeal to the inaugural ceremony.
Declaring the festival open, KIIT & KISS Founder Dr. Achyuta Samanta encouraged young participants to embrace curiosity and creativity. “You are the future. You excite us,” he told the students, emphasising that the festival was conceived exclusively for children. While India hosts numerous literary festivals, he noted, there were none dedicated solely to young readers and writers when KIIT International School launched its own.
“We were the first to have a children’s literary festival, and we have made it bigger every year. In 2016, we added ‘national’ to it because your imagination does not recognise borders,” Dr. Samanta said. He urged students to maintain discipline, listen carefully to every speaker, and cultivate the habit of reading and writing. “The internet alone will not help you. That’s why we introduced children’s literature,” he added.
Monalisa Bal, Chairperson of KIIT International School and Editor of KloudNine, said the festival holds a “special place” for everyone associated with the institution, as it nurtures creativity and diverse perspectives among young minds. She also added that “In today’s world, where everything moves at the speed of notifications, I often find myself asking: Are we losing touch with the quiet beauty of words? But then I remind myself and all of you that literature is not dying. It is simply waiting. Waiting to be rediscovered, reinterpreted, and re-loved by this incredible generation sitting in front of me.”
Vikrant Massey inspired the audience talking about success, he said “Success never stands alone & Gen Z is the most fearless generation I have seen” Renowned author and master storyteller Koral Dasgupta also graced the occasion, besides ex-cricketer Harbhajan Singh. A special highlight of the ceremony was the unveiling of the digital edition of the school magazine KloudNine by Dr. Samanta.
