{"id":984,"date":"2026-08-19T09:51:30","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T09:51:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cmseducation.org\/odyssey-international-literary-olympiad\/?page_id=984"},"modified":"2026-08-19T10:18:44","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T10:18:44","slug":"odyssey-international-2026-day-1","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cmseducation.org\/odyssey-international-literary-olympiad\/odyssey-international-2026-day-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Odyssey International 2026 Day 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Odyssey International 2026: The Opening<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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The pages of literature came alive at the <\/span>Goodwill Building<\/b> as the <\/span>11<\/b>th<\/b> Odyssey International 2026 \u2013 International Literary Olympiad, <\/b>organised by <\/span>CMS Rajajipuram Campus I<\/b>, brought together young writers, readers, performers, and creative thinkers from 43 schools across India and Nepal.<\/span><\/p>

Held from <\/span>11<\/b>th<\/b> to 14<\/b>th<\/b> August 2026<\/b>, the Olympiad explored the compelling theme, <\/span>\u201cLiterature for a Lasting Earth: Scripting Sustainability One Story at a Time.\u201d<\/i><\/b> Around <\/span>500 national and international delegates <\/b>were hosted at the <\/span>CMS World Unity Convention Centre (WUCC)<\/b>, transforming the event into a vibrant and meaningful exchange of languages, cultures, perspectives, and creative ideas.<\/span><\/p>

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A Grand Opening<\/b><\/h3>

The <\/span>four-day literary celebration <\/b>was formally inaugurated by the <\/span>Chief Guest, Mr Awanish Kumar Awasthi, IAS (Retd.), Advisor to the Hon\u2019ble Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, <\/b>with renowned<\/span> folk singer and Padma Shri awardee<\/b> Ms Malini Awasthi <\/b>as the<\/span> Guest of Honour.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

CMS Founder-Director Dr Bharti Gandhi, CMS Managing Director Prof. Geeta Gandhi Kingdon, CMS President Dr Roger Kingdon,<\/b> and <\/span>Senior Principal of CMS Rajajipuram Campus I, Mrs Nisha Pandey <\/b>welcomed the honoured dignitaries and eminent participants at the inaugural ceremony.<\/span><\/p>

As part of the opening-day proceedings, the Chief Guest and Guest of Honour toured the campus and inaugurated the Dr Bharti Gandhi VIP Lounge along with newly upgraded facilities in the Pre-primary Block.<\/span><\/p>

The campus also became a visual celebration of imagination, with an impressive student art exhibition showcasing young artistic talent. A specially curated book exhibition by Amar Chitra Katha added another dimension to the literary experience, inviting students to explore stories, history, culture and India\u2019s rich storytelling traditions.<\/span><\/p>

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The Insightful Press Conference<\/b><\/h3>

During the press conference, participating students reflected on the power of literature and culture to shape social consciousness, inspire sustainable development and nurture a happier, more harmonious future.<\/span><\/p>

Students from <\/span>Apex School <\/span><\/i>described it as a unique confluence of civilisations, cultures and ideas, while students of <\/span>Motherland English Secondary Boarding School <\/span><\/i>spoke of the opportunity to discover the cultures and civilisations of different countries. Students of <\/span>Chaitanya Pathshala<\/span><\/i> highlighted their aspiration to carry forward the messages of unity and peace. Indian participants from various schools reaffirmed the belief that literature can create bridges where borders once stood.<\/span><\/p>

Thus, Odyssey International 2026 began with one powerful idea:<\/span> \u2018Stories can do more than entertain \u2014 they can make us think, connect and imagine a better world.\u2019<\/span><\/i><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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