Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (Deemed to be University), renowned for academic and research excellence, is equally committed to preserving India’s rich cultural heritage. Advancing this mission, the university established PPRACHIN — the SOA Centre for Preservation, Propagation, and Restoration of Ancient Culture and Heritage of India — a vibrant hub for literary, artistic and cultural engagement.

Launched by PPRACHIN, the SOA Literary Festival is a celebration of imagination, dialogue and creative expression. It brings together writers, artists, scholars, and thought leaders to explore how literature and culture shape and respond to our evolving world.

The SOA Literary Festival has, since its inception, been a vibrant space where literature, culture, and creativity converge. The first edition SOA Literary Festival held on 1–2 February 2020, themed “Literature and Other Arts,” which brought together over 100 distinguished writers, thinkers, artists, and performers in 26 sessions. Through panel discussions, talks, and workshops, the festival created a vibrant space for intellectual exchange and the sharing of contemporary ideas. It also celebrated India’s linguistic plurality, offering a platform where diverse voices converged and dialogue flourished.

The 2nd SOA Literary Festival (24–26 November 2023) expanded in scale with 60 sessions and around 250 speakers. Themed “Indian Culture, Society and Literature: Prospects and Challenges,” it provided a reflective forum to explore literature’s role in mirroring identity, diversity, migration, gender, and globalization. This edition reinforced the festival’s mission as a catalyst for critical thought and cultural introspection, while also inspiring emerging writers through engagement with established luminaries.

The forthcoming 3rd SOA Literary Festival (29–30 November 2025), themed “Culture, Creativity and Artificial Intelligence,” explores the evolving intersection of human imagination and technological innovation. Through panels, workshops, performances, and interactive sessions, this edition celebrates the enduring power of literature, the richness of culture, and the boundless possibilities that emerge when creativity and AI converge.

Across its editions, the SOA Literary Festival has grown into a celebration of imagination, dialogue, and creativity, uniting writers, artists, scholars, and thinkers to explore how literature and culture continue to inspire, challenge, and shape human expression in a rapidly changing world.