Kolkata Book Fair concludes, books worth Rs 27 crore sold
The 47th International Kolkata Book Fair at Boimela Prangan in Salt Lake, which concluded on Wednesday, set a new record with around 29 lakh visitors, and book sales reaching a historic Rs 27 crore.
This indicated a significant growth in footfall compared to the previous edition, which had 25 lakh visitors. Also, there has been a noteworthy increase in book sales from the previous year, with the 2023 edition witnessing books worth Rs 25 crore being sold.
“More than 28 lakh people attended the fair on January 30, and we believe the turnout on the final day surpassed 29 lakh. The sale of books hit an impressive Rs 27 crore, making it a record for the Kolkata Book Fair,” said Tridib Kumar Chatterjee, President, Guild. He also mentioned about avid book lover Debabrata Chatterjee, a tuition teacher from Chakdaha, who bought books worth Rs 3.12 lakh.
Guild Honorary General Secretary Sudhangshu Sekhar Dey said: “Similar to last year, we’ve observed a 10 per cent increase in book sales. But the crowd has grown by nearly 15 per cent.” Meanwhile, he also thanked Sister Nivedita University for being the digital partner of the two-week mega event. On the last day of the fair, Chatterjee felicitated the UK, Germany and Bangladesh delegates for their support of the fair. The UK, being the theme country, attracted around 2.7 lakh visitors during the fair. Several stalls including Jago Bangla were also felicitated.
The Guild also thanked Bidhannagar Mayor Krishna Chakraborty for participating in the special tree plantation ceremony, a first at the Kolkata Book Fair. Commissioner of Police, Bidhannagar, Gaurav Sharma, expressed pride in the success of security measures at the book fair. He mentioned that there were no instances of eve-teasing, pickpocketing, or theft during the event. He also said how Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee actively monitored the proceedings at the fair. “A dedicated team of 1500 men and women worked tirelessly to make the event a success and guarantee the safety of the bibliophiles,” he said.
