Eluru : An international conference on folk culture and literature was organised at St Theresa’s College for Women (A) here on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, Andhra University professor Ayyagari Sitaratnam said that folk culture and literature are the heritage of our ancestors and it is the responsibility of all of us to preserve them. Folk culture refers to the traditional practices, customs and beliefs of small homogeneous groups in rural areas.

Dr PK Jayalakshmi, who is working as a Hindi reader at St Joseph’s College for Women (A), Visakhapatnam, was the keynote speaker at the conference.

Mother Ernestine Fernandes, Superior and Correspondent of the college, said that during the recent Corona pandemic that has shaken the world, humanity has learned a lot from the way of life of folk.

College Principal Dr Sister Mercy said that folk arts and literature have great importance in modern human life. She said that folk literature provides various types of knowledge as well as mental relaxation.

The organiser of the programme, Head of the Hindi Telugu Department, Dr Ch V Mahalakshmi said that the main purpose of this conference is to introduce folk culture and literature of different languages and cultures to researchers and the world. The programme was organised by Dr Mahalakshmi, Telugu Lecturers Y Aruna Jhansi Rani and Dr K Aruna. Speakers, academicians and researchers from India and abroad participated in the programme.