The Department of Language, Culture and Society (LCS), SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, successfully concluded its two-day national literary festival, Sahitya 2026 SRM Lit Fest 4.0, held on September 17 and 18 at Dr. T. P. Ganesan Auditorium, Kattankulathur Campus. Rooted in the theme “Past as Prologue: Indian Knowledge Systems and Cultural Histories Shaping Viksit Bharat,” the event seamlessly bridged India’s rich intellectual heritage with contemporary thought. The festival opened on Day 1 with an inaugural ceremony welcomed by Dr. L. Kavitha Nair (Prof. & Head, Dept. of LCS), presided over by Prof. C. Muthamizhchelvan (Vice Chancellor, SRMIST), and supported by Dr. M. Leenus Jesu Martin (Dean, CET). The inaugural address was delivered by Cmde. Dr. Srikant B Kesnur, VSM (Retd), followed by an engaging keynote from Ari Gautier of Oslo, Norway. During his session on “Kréyofuturisme,” Gautier highlighted: “the ocean plays an important role in shaping personality and anchoring memory, connecting this identity directly to the fluid process of creolization.” The day’s events also showcased a traditional puppet show, “Hanuman- Search for Sita,” by South Indian Puppeteers and a lively drama by The Zephyrn Playhouse.  
Day 2 commenced with an insightful interview session featuring author Kavita Kane titled “Conversations Across Myth and Memory”. She briefly emphasized: “Epics remain timelessly relevant today because fundamental human nature and emotions have remained unchanged over thousands of years.” The intellectual discourse continued with talks by Dr. Nilesh Oak, Iffat Nawaz, and Dr. Vineet Aggarwal. Following a magnificent Bharatanatyam dance drama, “Janani Jagath KaraniJ,” by Sridevi Nrithyalaya, the festival officially wrapped up with the Valedictory Ceremony, which celebrated student excellence through the prize distribution for the festival’s pre-event competitions.