VIJAYAWADA: The 33rd edition of Vijayawada book festival at Polytechnic college grounds, continued to get good response from bibliophiles from the city and nearby towns on its second day on Friday. The book fest, organised by the Vijayawada Book Festival Society (VBFS) and supported by civic body Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC), featured nearly 150 publishers and sellers who set up over 216 stalls.
The organisers informed that leading Telugu and English book publishers, including other publishing houses took part with a large array of books. In addition, the organisers conducted literary events and career talks.In addition to this, new books were launched at the literary dais, competitions would be held in quiz and other events, while career talks were hosted for children and youth.
Cultural activities were organised on the premises and literary meetings would be conducted from the Gollapudi Maruthi Rao Kala peetam. Moreover, special stalls were also arranged for the books on competitive exams for jobs tests like groups, police constables and sub-inspectors and others, which the State government notified exams and other academic exams.
In order to promote the habit of reading, the organisers conducted literary discussions and cultural programmes. Furthermore, a drawing competition and hand arts session for children was conducted to attract youngsters on Friday.“A dedicated stall was set up only to encourage cartoons and cartoonists. Cartoons have a great impression and have the power to reach public faster than any medium,” said cartoonist A Sreedhar.
Majority of the visitors are students and unemployed youth, who are thronging stalls buying books on personality development and competitive examinations. “The objective of the book fair is to encourage children towards book reading. We are expecting the numbers visiting the book festival on Saturday and Sunday,” said the honorary president Bellapu Babji.