India, July 18 -- Against the picturesque backdrop of the Dal Lake, the third edition of the Chinar Book Festival was inaugurated at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) on Saturday, bringing together thousands of readers, students, educators, writers and artists for what is set to be Jammu and Kashmir's largest literary celebration.

Inaugurating the nine-day festival, Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha underlined the transformative role of books in shaping the future of the region's youth, calling for a sustained reading movement.

"I congratulate the National Book Trust, its entire team and everyone associated with organising this festival for striving to provide our youth with a future shaped...