CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin will inaugurate the 46th Chennai Book Fair and present the Kalaignar Porkizhi and BAPASI awards at the YMCA grounds here on Friday. The book fair will be conducted from 11 am to 8.30 pm, till January 22.
Book Sellers and Publishers Association of South India (BAPASI) President S Vairavan and Secretary SK Murugan told media that 1,000 book stalls will be set up this year, on members’ requests, as against the usual 800. Stalls for children will also be allotted. The guild invited schools and colleges to visit the fair and place bulk orders.
“We have also planned to set up 100 mini-racks,” Murugan said. He added that the book fair will be conducted in full swing this year after the pandemic. A footfall of 50 lakh is expected.
The Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation, the World Tamil Research Center, Sahitya Akademi, the National Book Trust Publication Division, Thanjavur Tamil University, ‘Illam Thedi Kalvi’, and the Archeology Department will participate in the fair.
First in’tl book fair in city
Chennai will also see its first ever international book fair, on the YMCA grounds by the school education department, from January 16 to 18. Publishers and booksellers from nearly 40 countries including Singapore and Sri Lanka will set up stalls.
Kalaignar Porkizhi Award recipients
BAPASI award recipients