Countdown begins for 47th International Kolkata Book Fair 2024
As the clock ticks down to the much-anticipated 47th International Kolkata Book Fair 2024, excitement fills the air. Scheduled to take place from January 18-31, 2024, at Boi Mela Prangan in Salt Lake, Kolkata, this literary extravaganza is the largest attended book fair in the world, recognised by IPA Geneva. Last year, nearly 2.6 million people visited the book fair and books worth Rs 25 crore were sold.
The United Kingdom is the focal theme country of the Kolkata Book Fair 2024. On Wednesday, a press conference was held at the British Council of the British High Commission, New Delhi, where Alison Barrett, MBE, Director India, British Council, was present along with Dr Debanjan Chakraborti, Director, East and North East India, British Council, Sudhangshu Sekhar Dey, Honorary General Secretary and Tridib Kumar Chatterjee, President from Publishers and Booksellers Guild, Kolkata.
Just like before, this edition of the Kolkata Book Fair is also going digital. Book enthusiasts worldwide can tune in online to enjoy all the exciting programmes. To encourage reading of books, a lucky draw will be held at the fair and 15 lucky winners will get gift coupons worth Rs 1,000 per day along with four bumper lucky draws where the winners will get gift coupons worth Rs 25,000, which can be redeemed at the stalls of the fair. Meanwhile, January 19, 2024, will be celebrated as ‘Theme Country UK Day’ and January 21, 2024, as ‘Children’s Day’.
On January 24, for the first time, the fair will commemorate ‘Senior Citizen’s Day’. All the national and multinational players in the publishing industry like ‘Penguin Random House’, ‘Harper Collins’, ‘Hachette’, ‘Bloomsbury’, ‘Rupa’, ‘Pan Macmillan’, ‘Orient Blackswan’ and others will have their own pavilions along with the direct participation of countries like the USA, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain, Australia, Bangladesh, Thailand, Argentina, Cuba, Peru and other Latin American countries. Publishers from almost all the states of India will also have their pavilions.
Another surprise awaits the bibliophiles at the fair. The Asiatic Society, with the support of the Guild, has come forward to showcase an exhibition highlighting the history of the society with special emphasis on the contribution of British scholars towards the development of intellectual pursuit of India with the United Kingdom.
The 10th edition of Kolkata Literature Festival (KLF) 2024, an integral part of the book fair will be held at the auditorium of the fairground for three days: January 26, 27 and 28. It will have the presence of eminent literary personalities and celebrities from India and abroad, who will join in various interactive sessions. Each day of the KLF will conclude with cultural programmes.
