12-12-2025-Speech for crime literature festival

Speech for Crime Literature Festival

December 12, 2025

Jai Hind!

Honorable dignitaries, distinguished authors and researchers, respected members of law enforcement, students, and esteemed guests.

Crime literature has always had a profound role in understanding human behaviour. We are gathered here today, to discuss crime as a theme in books and also, to reflect on crime as a mirror to society. It helps us explore what is just, what is ethical, and what can go wrong when trust breaks down. It sharpens our thinking, deepens our empathy, and reminds us that the pursuit of justice is a collective effort between citizens and institutions.

In literature, crime writing occupies a significant place because it speaks to the oldest human instinct, the instinct to protect. From the ancient tales of righteousness to the modern detective novel, crime stories force us to confront the darker corners of society while inspiring our collective commitment to fairness and truth.

They awaken our vigilance.
They strengthen our ability to question.
They keep alive our belief that truth must prevail.

A Crime Literature Festival is a celebration of a genre. It is an invitation to understand the many layers that shape the human story. At one level, crime writing entertains us with mysteries and thrillers. At a deeper level, it forces us to examine the systems we build, the communities we nurture, and the society we want to be.

Uttarakhand is proud to host this important gathering. Our land, with its serene mountains, spiritual heritage, and strong sense of community, has also witnessed the challenges that emerge as development expands and populations grow. Our police forces and administrative machinery work tirelessly to safeguard peace in the state. But for safety to be sustainable, awareness must grow with equal strength. Literature offers a platform for this awareness.

Writers, journalists, and storytellers carry a responsibility that is both powerful and sacred. They do not just narrate facts. They humanize experiences. They give voice to the unheard. Through their craft, they shed light on areas that need reform, reflection, and resilience. They remind us that crime prevention is not only a matter for the police. It is a societal mission.

I am pleased to see this festival bringing together authors who investigate, researchers who analyze, police professionals who safeguard, and citizens who care. When knowledge and justice meet on the same platform, society becomes stronger. When literature and law enforcement begin a conversation, new ideas emerge that can transform lives.

Crime literature also plays a crucial role in shaping young minds. Our students who read such stories learn the difference between right and wrong in a deeper context. They understand consequences, motivation, struggle, and redemption. They learn that every choice is a step toward building or breaking the world around us. Such lessons can nurture a generation that is aware, responsible, and proactive in safeguarding the country’s future.

There is another important dimension of crime writing that must be recognized. It provides comfort to victims by validating their truth. It empowers communities by revealing the realities that must be corrected. It offers a reminder to wrongdoers that their actions will face the light of accountability. In this sense, literature becomes a partner in justice.

As we celebrate creativity today, we also celebrate courage. The courage of journalists who investigate organized networks. The courage of authors who write uncomfortable truths. The courage of researchers who present data that demands reform. And the courage of readers who are willing to learn and engage in change. This courage builds nations.

In the evolving world of technology, crime itself has transformed. We face cyber threats, misinformation, trafficking, and new forms of exploitation. To confront these challenges, we need new ideas, updated laws, and informed citizens. Literature can communicate these modern realities clearly and widely. It carries knowledge beyond classrooms and across borders.

Our government continues its efforts to ensure that Uttarakhand remains among the safest states in India. We are investing in improved infrastructure for policing, advanced training for officers, and stronger community policing systems. But governance achieves lasting success only when citizens participate with awareness. I believe this festival strengthens that collective awareness.

Let us also recognize the role of moral education. A society that values compassion, inclusiveness, and accountability naturally discourages wrongdoing. When we honor human dignity, crime finds fewer places to take root. Literature can nurture moral imagination, urging readers to respect others and to uphold integrity in both personal and professional lives. The ethics we celebrate in stories must reflect in our conduct on the streets, in workplaces, and within homes.
This festival is not only an event. It is a declaration. A declaration that knowledge will lead the fight against ignorance. A declaration that creativity will support the cause of justice. A declaration that a safe society is one that listens, learns, and evolves.

I hope the conversations here will explore many crucial aspects of crime in literature, including representation of vulnerable communities, the psychological depth of characters, and the portrayal of law enforcement with fairness and dignity. I hope these discussions encourage more young authors in Uttarakhand and across the country to take up writing that informs and inspires. I hope this platform results in fresh ideas that help shape policy and improve systems.

Uttarakhand welcomes all of you with open arms and a sincere heart. May you find inspiration in the tranquility of our land. May your interactions during the festival spark new collaborations. May the stories that begin here continue to speak long after this event concludes.

I congratulate the Festival Directors – Former DGP Shri Aloke Lal and Shri Ashok Kumar and their team for their vision and effort in bringing this festival to life. Your dedication reflects a belief that literature is not separate from society but deeply responsible to it.

To each writer present today, thank you for giving your time, your words, and your wisdom to a cause that matters.

To the police officers and experts in attendance, thank you for your service and for your willingness to engage with the world of ideas.

Together, let us create a culture where safety is strengthened by awareness and understanding. Let us encourage citizens to read, think, question, and participate in shaping a better society. Let us celebrate those who seek the truth and protect it.

With these thoughts, I once again extend my heartfelt wishes for the success of the Crime Literature Festival. May this gathering inspire new stories of courage. May it promote sharper minds and kinder hearts. And may it help build a future where justice stands strong and every citizen lives with security and dignity.
JThank you! Jai Hind!