KOCHI: New book releases, literary seminars, open forums with discourses on literature, award functions, art and cultural programmes- the 15th Kochi International Book Festival (KIBF) starting today has much delights to offer to the bibliophiles of the city. The ten-day book festival organised by the Antharashtra Pusthokothsava Samithi will kick off at Ernakulathappan Grounds.
“The fair will have a rich stock of books including new releases, fiction, educational books, puranas, children's literature, comics and many others. Book lovers will get to see more than three lakh books from well-known publishing houses like Penguin, Jaico, Tata Mcgraw-Hill Books, Harper, Pushpaka Mahal, WHO, Orient Blackswan, State publishing houses and Sahitya Akademi," said E N Nandakumar, the secretary of KIBF Samithi.
Speaker G Karthikeyan will inaugurate the event in the evening. Dr M Achuthan and Dr M Leelavathi will he honoured at the function. V R Krishna Iyer will be the chief guest. Several cultural events will be held through the ten days of the book fair.
The inaugural evening will see a seminar on 'Comparative study on Dance forms' by Shyamala Surendran, followed by a 'Sopana Sangeetham' concert by Eloor Biju. On December 4, another seminar, 'Keram Keralam Malayalam' will inaugurated by K V Thomas. At the event, former MLA Lonappan Nampadan, along with Sanskrit scholar D Sreeman Nampoothiri and farmer, Dominic will be felicitated.
A seminar on writer Thakazhi Siva Sankara Pillai will be held on Dec 5 as part of his birth centinary celebration year. Sukumar Azhikode, M K Harikumar and Prof. Ambalapuzha Gopakumar will be attending the function. Eminent litterateurs like Alankode Leelakrishnan, P K Parakkadavu will also be present on the day.
Another seminar to mark the birth centenary celebrations of K C S Panicker will be held on Dec 7 which will be attended by veteran artists like M V Devan, Kaladharan.
Several awards like 'best publisher', 'best reader' will be given out as part of the event. This year's Balamani Amma Literary Award will be given to C Radhakrishnan by M K Sanu. The award function will be attended by K L Mohanavarma, Sulochana Nalappattu and others. Nandakukar says that the festival's aim to nurture a reading culture among people, especially students. The valedictory function will be graced by Minister M K Muneer.