Bhaktapur, October 14:

The 42nd national mega Nepal Bhasa literary conference cum cultural programme began here on Friday with the slogan: “The nation cannot make headway while suppressing community freedom.” The conference will end on Saturday. Senior literature figure Surya Bahadur Piwa, inaugurating the conference, said that literature has a pivotal role in making the people conscious. Rajiv Maharjan, a student of the Hill Town International School, Kirtipur who topped in Nepal Bhasa in SLC examination in 2061, was also honoured during the event. Chairman of Patan Nepal Bhasa Manka Khala Dr Puspa Raj Rajkarnikar, secretary of Jyapu Mahaguthi Rajbhai Jakami, advisor of the guthi Ratna Gopal Saiju and secretary Tri Ranta Shakya also spoke of the literary movements in Nepal Bhasa.