Release of the Lit Letter, the newsletter of AMU Literary Festival 2026
AMU Literary Festival 2026 Concludes with Valedictory Ceremony
ALIGARH, April 8: The Aligarh Muslim University Literary Festival 2026, the flagship event of the University Debating and Literary Club (UDLC), Cultural Education Centre (CEC), concluded with a formal valedictory ceremony after three days of engaging workshops, panel discussions, competitions and interactive sessions.
The valedictory ceremony was graced by Chief Guest Kuldeep Meena, Vice Chairman, Aligarh Development Authority, and Guest of Honour Nawab Saquib Ibrahim. Prof. Mohammad Rizwan Khan, Coordinator, CEC, was also present.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Kuldeep Meena appreciated the vibrant academic atmosphere of AMU and the scale of the festival, noting that such initiatives reflect a culture of intellectual engagement. He emphasised the importance of perseverance, hard work and openness to opportunities in shaping academic and professional success.
Guest of Honour Er. Nawab Saquib Ibrahim also addressed the participants, encouraging students to actively engage in platforms that enhance their communication skills and intellectual growth.
Earlier, Prof. Mohammad Rizwan Khan highlighted the significance of the festival in fostering dialogue and creativity, and conducted an interactive feedback session with students to gather suggestions for further improvement.
A comprehensive report of the festival was presented by the Secretary, Syed Faheem Ahmad, and Joint Secretary, Amna Asim, outlining the major events and achievements.
One of the highlights of the ceremony was the release of the official newsletter, The Lit Letter, edited by Aliya Akbar, Zainab Faiza Islam and Rahat Ul Aien.
The prize distribution ceremony recognised winners across various competitions. In the Conventional Debate, Arpit Chauhan secured first position, followed by Haniya Khan (second) and Asjad Ahmad (third). In Performance Poetry, Ankit Kumar, Mohd Ammar and Irtiqa Sameer secured first, second and third positions respectively.
In the Extempore competition, Asjad Ahmad stood first, followed by Kaaminah Beigh and Dania Hassan. The Parliamentary Debate was won by the team of Sadaf Iqubal, Tanzila Rahman and Muhammad Haashir, while Arshi, Asjad Ahmad and Abdul Malik secured second position.
In the Quiz competition, Mohd Bilal Rais and Mohd Hassan Ullah Khan secured first position, followed by Darafshan Sultana and Naaila Siddiqi (second), and Abaan Siddiqui and Aarish Shah Mohsin (third). The Baitbaazi competition was won by Team Faiz (Rufaa Fatima, Udba Fatima and Fatima), while Team Momin (Mohammad Urooz Chishti, Abu Umair and Muhammad Suhail) secured second place.
In the Oxford Debate, the team of Mohd Ateeb, Abdullah and Taranjeet emerged winners, while Maryam Shakeel, Md Aryan Tarique and Smriti Raman Singh secured second position. In the Journalistic Writing competition, Hejab Ayesha secured first position, followed by Ushna Meraj and Rohmatullah Siddikhan. The Creative Writing competition saw Kaaminah Beigh, Abdul Malik and Iqbal Ullah Khan securing first, second and third positions respectively. In the Book Review competition, Rozy Begum secured first position, followed by Arooba Irshad and Warisha Rafi.
The programme also included addresses by UDLC mentors Prof. Mohammad Akram and Dr. Ghufran Ahmad, while the Club President, Dr. Mansoor Alam Siddiqui, appreciated the collective efforts behind the successful organisation of the festival.
The welcome address was delivered by Sayed Aqsa, while the programme was conducted by Zunaira Habib Alvi and Maryam Khan. The vote of thanks was proposed by Md. Arib Khan.
The event concluded with a Students’ Mushaira, marking a fitting close to the Literary Festival 2026.
