By Ashok Raina Dharamsala, March 25 : Tibetan spiritual head the Dalai Lama on Friday in a message said India has produced one of the oldest pieces of literature. The 86-year-old, who has made India his home in exile for over several decades said it is the only country which can combine ancient knowledge with modern education. The spokesperson for the Tibetan government-in-exile presented the message by the Dalai Lama at the inaugural session of a two-day literary function that was inaugurated on Friday. The session touched on Tibetan literature developing in exile and how it exposed their Tibetan cause. The district administration here launched the first of its kind Lit Fest at the Dharamsala college, where eminent litterateurs from across the country will have a direct dialogue with budding writers. Deputy Commissioner Nipun Jindal and MLA Vishal Naihariya inaugurated the program. “The literary festival will prove to be very effective for the younger generation. This is the reason the participation of students in this literary festival is also being ensured,” Jindal said. In the inaugural session, Vivek Atre in conversation with Jupinderjit Singh gave information about his book “Living a Wonderful Life”. Atre said that in his book he has tried to guide people to do things close to their hearts. He said that every person has a creative element, they should work on it to bring it out. Lily Swarn, Lalit Mohan Sharma, retired Principal from Government College Dharamsala and Nisha Luthra spoke on the theme of Thoughts that Breathe. Nilesh Kulkarni engaged the audience in a conversation on his book “Shine the Foot Steps of Rama”, in which he explored various aspects and interpretations about the characters of Ramayana. Tenjin Tsundu and Nyen Tsering Tashi engaged in an adaptation on the development of Tibetan literature with Tenzin Choying. The session touched on Tibetan literature developing in exile and how it exposed the plight of the Tibetan cause. XC AR ING