One of the most anticipated events in the calendar of book lovers in the region is set to be flagged off in less than a month from now. The 47th International Kolkata Book Fair will be held at the Boimela Prangan in Central Park, Karunamoyee, Salt Lake City between 18 January – 31 January.
The focal theme of the fair this year is the United Kingdom promises to be a veritable treat for book enthusiasts looking to browse and buy across a range of categories. This year’s book fair is expected to be the largest ever, with the number of stalls crossing the 1K mark. Easily the most popular of all fairs in the city, the Kolkata Book Fair draws an astounding number of visitors each year.
The number of visitors is 45 – 50 lakhs over the duration of the fair. According to the organisers, this year the fair will also have a sub-event that will honour some senior citizens related to the world of books.
Tremendous Enthusiasm Among Participants
“This time due to tremendous pressure from participants, the number of stalls has been increased. In the 2023 fair, we had around 950 participants, for 2024 the number has exceeded 1,025. There will be many new participants with smaller
booths,” said Tridib Chatterjee, President of the Publishers & Booksellers Guild. Notably, the Publishers & Booksellers Guild have been the organisers of the iconic fair for years. “Among foreign participants, Germany will be participating after 12 years, while the United Kingdom will be the theme country,” he added.
New Addition, Celebration Of Senior Citizens’ Day
“There is also a new addition this year. On January 24 which happens to be Senior Citizens’ Day, we would be celebrating by honouring a senior author, publisher, and reader. We are still in the process of finalizing the persons to receive the honours,” Mr Chatterjee said.
Bengali