The 28th edition of the annual New Delhi World Book Fair, organised by the National Book Trust in association with India Trade Promotion Organization, will begin at Pragati Maidan on January 4.
The nine-day event – it will have 600 publishers and 1,300 stalls – will be inaugurated by Human Resource Development minister Ramesh Pokhriyal, with Gandhian scholar Girishwar Mishra as the chief guest. Kanchan Wanchoo Sharma, Assistant Director Exhibitions and Public Relations, NBT, said, “Highlight of this year’s fair will be the theme Gandhi: The Writer’s Writer.
It will not at all be an exhibition on Gandhi. French novelist Roman Rolland had named him the Writer’s Writer. We will have 500 books from 100 publishers on and by Gandhi in English and different languages. Apart from this, we will have his letters that he had written to his students and dignitaries. The first printer that he used will also be on display. We have collaborated with Navjivan Trust in Ahmedabad and National Gandhi Museum, Delhi, for the archival material.” The pavilion has been designed by the National Institute of Design Ahmedabad. “Inspired by Sabarmati Ashram, it will have handspun material as wall cladding,” she adds.
Children’s pavilion called Bal Mandap will have seminars, storytelling workshops, quiz and creative writing workshops catering to every age group of children. The pavilion has been designed by the NBT and will be set up next to the children book authors’ stalls. She says, “As part of the Foreign books section, over 15 countries including Abu Dhabi, China, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Iran, Nepal, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Sharjah, Spain, Sri Lanka, UK, USA, are participating. In addition, we have a stall on Braille books.”Last year, the fair had a footfall of 12 lakh people, so this time, NBT is expecting that number to rise.
Highlights
Author’s Corner: A corner where writers such as Anirban Ganguly, Bhawana Sommaya and Fouzia Khan will participate.
Photo Exhibitions: Snapshots from India’s participation at book fairs in Sharjah and Frankfurt, and NBT’s efforts books in schools and libraries.