Chandigarh, May 4, 2026: The annual Children’s Literature Festival of St Kabir Public School, Sec 26, has kicked-off and will be on till May 8. The festival will see children’s authors, storytellers and
illustrators keeping nearly 1,300 students from Grades I to XII engaged in a vibrant celebration of stories, art, and imagination. A major highlight of the festival is ‘Becoming’, a landmark exhibition that traces over 130 years of
illustrations in children’s books in India. Significantly, ‘Becoming’ is travelling beyond Delhi for the first time since its debut in 2025. A pop-up book shop is also a centre of attraction at the fest.
On Day 1 a press meet was held to share details of the festival by Preeti Bakshi, Director, St Kabir Public School; Sapna Katoch, Principal, St Kabir Public School; Deeptha Vivekanand, Reading & Storytelling Lead, St Kabir Public School; Richa Jha, Curator (Becoming); author-illustrator Kripa; writer-illustrator Greystroke, and cartoonist & illustrator Rohan Chakravarty. Vidya Mani and Muthamma Devaya, from Funky Rainbow- an independent bookshop and consultancy focused on Indian children’s literature, also interacted with media.
Speaking about the initiative, Director, Preeti Bakshi,said, “At St Kabir, we believe education must continuously expand how children see and interpret the world. By placing art and illustration at the centre of our literature festival, we are encouraging students to engage with stories not just as readers, but as observers, thinkers, and creators.”
Principal Sapna Katoch said, "We have decided to give all literature enthusiasts of tricity a chance to witness the exhibition. ‘Becoming’ will be open to the public on all days of the festival from 2:45 PM to 4 PM. Those interested can schedule a visit, by contacting the school administration."
Deeptha Vivekanand said, “Centred on the theme “Art is a Voice,” this year’s festival places a strong emphasis on illustration and visual storytelling, highlighting the often-overlooked role of art in shaping how children read, interpret, and connect with the world around them.
Richa Jha an award-winning author and publisher who has curated exhibition -‘Becoming’ informed that the showcase features around 70 artworks by more than 50 artists across 25 Indian publishers, offering a rare and comprehensive glimpse into the evolution of children’s book art in the country.
Jha said that the exhibition brings together works by pioneering figures such as Abanindranath Tagore, Sukumar Ray, Nandalal Bose, and Satyajit Ray, alongside contemporary illustrators including Atanu Roy, Kripa, Priya Kuriyan, Rajiv Eipe, Ruchi Shah, Shilpa Ranade, Sumanta Dey, and Taposhi Ghoshal. “Together, these works reflect the diversity, innovation, and evolving visual language of children’s literature in India,” she added.
‘Becoming’ through the Lit Fest at St Kabir Public School has moved from a gallery setting at the India International Centre, Delhi - where it had debuted, to a school environment. The exhibition marks a shift from passive viewing to active engagement within a learning space.
Over the five-day festival, students will participate in grade-specific sessions with authors and illustrators and guided walkthroughs of the exhibition. The festival will feature prominent voices from the world of children’s literature and illustration, including Priya Kuriyan, Greystroke, Rohan Chakravarty, Richa Jha, Ashwin Prabhu, Kripa, and Nandita Basu.
Author-illustrator Kripa said, “Illustrations are not merely accompaniments to text; they are powerful narratives in themselves. We will help children explore how images shape identity, emotion, and meaning.”
Writer-illustrator Greystroke, said, “The interactive activities at the fest are designed to build visual literacy and deepen children’s understanding of the relationship between images and text in storytelling.”
Rohan Chakravarty, said, “Children’s books will be discussed with an emphasis on the graphical content which makes these books interesting and easy to read. We will also shed light of how cartoons in children’s literature are adding to the overall appeal of books created for children.”
Vidya Mani from Funky Rainbow said, “Through such fests we are trying to build inclusive literary spaces that connect children with stories rooted in diverse, real-life experiences.”
Funky Rainbow’s Muthamma Devaya added, “A curated pop-up bookshop will further enhance the experience, offering a wide selection of contemporary titles for students and visitors.”
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