CM to inaugurate 44th Book Fair on January 29 next year

Kolkata: The 44th International Kolkata Book Fair (IKBF) will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on January 29, 2020. The venue for next year's book fair will be Salt Lake Central Park, with Russia being the theme country.

"In 2020, the IKBF will start two days earlier than 2019. The Chief Minister has assured us that she will formally inaugurate the fair on January 29," said Sudhansu Dey, director of Publishers and Book Sellers Guild, which hosts the IKBF every year. Dey met Banerjee at her chamber in the state legislative Assembly on Tuesday and finalised the inauguration date. The fair will be held for 12 days.

It may be mentioned that the IKBF 2019 that started from January 31, witnessed a record sale of books worth Rs 21 crore and witnessed a turnout of 23 lakh visitors. Guatemala was the theme country for this year's book fair. Several countries from across the world attended this year's edition of IKBF, which witnessed participation of authors from Russia, Costa Rica, Spain, Scotland, Australia, Argentina, Bangladesh and Guatemala. It may be mentioned that the IKBF had shifted to the Salt Lake venue in 2017, with the state government taking up a total renovation of the Milan Mela ground opposite Science City, which used to be the venue earlier.