CM to hand over ‘Sahitya Samman’ to eminent author Abul Bashar

KOLKATA: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will award the special Sahitya Samman worth Rs 2 lakh to popular Bengali author Abul Bashar at the inauguration ceremony of the 48th International Kolkata Book Fair on January 28. To continue till February 9 at the Boimela Prangan in Salt Lake, this is the largest attended book fair in the world.

For the first time in the history of the Kolkata book fair, Germany has been chosen as the focal theme country. On Thursday, at a Press conference at the Goethe Institute in New Delhi, Philipp Ackermann, HE Ambassador of Germany in India and Marla Stukenberg, Director, Goethe Institut, South Asia informed that both of them will be present at the inaugural ceremony in Kolkata as guests of honour.

This year, the book fair has an added attraction. A special exhibition, titled ‘Engraved illustrations: Journey of book illustrations’ curated by Jyotirmoy Bhattacharya will attract the bibliophiles. The exhibition will highlight the chronological journey of engraved illustrations in Bengali books from the 1800s to the 1900s. It will also feature original books from the 19th century, woodblocks and other printmaking exhibits. “There will be seminars featuring renowned printmakers from India and workshops with scholars,” said Tridib Kumar Chatterjee, president, Publishers & Booksellers Guild.

Last year, 2.7 million people visited the book fair and books worth Rs 23 crore were sold. This year, the annual book event of Kolkata is becoming an open air book fair in its true sense. “There will be no halls where earlier the English language publishers used to be present. Instead, there will be a designated ‘Premier Area’ for all English language participants,” said Sudhangshu Sekhar Dey, Honorary General

Secretary, Guild.

In the book fair, which will have 1,050 stalls, January 29 will be celebrated as ‘Theme Country Germany Day’ and February 2 as ‘Children’s Day’. On February 4, Guild will commemorate ‘Senior Citizen’s Day’ in honour of the aged.

Bangladesh would not be participating in this year’s book fair but countries like the USA, UK, France, Iran, Russia, Spain, Argentina, Guatemala, Peru, Costa Rica, Iran and other Latin American countries will set up stalls. Publishers from across the country will also be present.