Int'l Kolkata Book Fair: Take part in lucky draw and win books worth Rs 1 lakh

Kolkata: The book lovers will get chance to win a book library for their homes worth Rs 1 lakh if they get selected through a lucky draw during the 43rd International Kolkata Book Fair (IKBF) which will be inaugurated on January 31 in presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Salt Lake's Central Park. On Monday, the Publishers and Booksellers Guild announced that the reason behind the lucky draw is to facilitate the habit of reading.

On Monday, Tridib Kumar Chatterjee, general secretary of the Guild, stated that the their slogan for the book lovers is 'buy books and win a book library.' He said: "We are going to arrange a lucky draw for the book lovers at the end of the Book Fair on February 11. Four winners will be chosen who will be given books worth Rs 1 lakh along with a designer book shelf so that they will not have to arrange for any space to keep those books. The winners will also get the chance to select the books of their choice." The Guild authority further informed that there will three halls for the English publications which would be named after poet Nirendranath Chakraborty, writer Dibyendu Palit and author Atin Banerjee who passed away recently. The Little Magazine pavilion will be named after eminent poet Pinaki Thakur.

Apart from the focus country, the Guild has decided to highlight the literature and culture of one Indian Schedule Tribe during the Book Fair for the first time. It will help the people to come close to their cultures and get to know about them too. In the 43rd IKBF, the focus will be the Lepcha community. They will participate with a stall.

Over 65 writers, including three established Dalit writers, will enrich the audience at the International Kolkata Book Fair.

Apart from the attractions of the Book Fair, a smartphone application will soon be published for book lovers to locate stalls. Also, information regarding the Book Fair will be provided in the application as well. The application is being developed by the CESC for both android and IOS platforms. The details will also be there on the website. The Guild has also got in touch with the state government and got assurance that the Transport department will provide additional 190 shuttle buses during the Book Fair days from Howrah and Sealdah stations, Ultadanga, Garia, Behala and Shyambazar to Central Park Mela Ground.