Bhubaneswar, July 7: A book week is being organised in the city to promote reading habits and highlight the value of books among students.

The event, conducted at DAV Public School, Unit -VIII, aims to focus on the important aspects of literature and on the works by great authors in English, Hindi, Odia and Sanskrit languages. It includes a number of activities such as poetry composition and sloka chanting to garner interest among the readers. The event provides a platform for the students to put forward their views, literary creativity, innovative ideas and keep tabs on literary progress.

Subhashree Mishra, a student of Class VIII, who attended the event, said: "I got a chance to interact with eminent writers and learn about various trends in literature. I am an avid reader and I wanted to interact with writers and this was a great chance for me."

A book fair was also organised for young readers and a workshop on poetry composition was conducted in English, Hindi and Odia where eminent experts guided the students and motivated them to exhibit their literary creativity.

"I have been writing poems since the past five years. I wanted some expert advice to brush up my literary skills. This was a great opportunity," said Archana Patnaik, a student.

Experts motivated the youngsters to inculcate reading habits and encouraged them to take part in literary activities. The winners of various competitions were awarded with a certificate and books. "Such activities help youngsters to get closer to books. It is very important to host such events occasionally to develop interest among young readers about world, Indian and local literature," said writer Neha Jha.