Kolkata, Oct 15 The 50th edition of the Kolkata International Book Fair, to be held from January 22 to February 3 next year, will have ‘India’ as its theme, and a series of events highlighting the country’s history, culture and national identity will be held, organisers said.
The organisers plan to showcase themes related to the National Song ‘Vande Mataram’, the 150th anniversary of which was celebrated this year, the 80th anniversary of India’s Independence, also observed in 2026, the life and legacy of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, and the trauma of Partition.
The golden jubilee edition of the fair is being organised jointly by the Publishers and Booksellers Guild, the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC) and the National Book Trust (NBT).
This is the first book fair to be held after the BJP came to power in West Bengal. The state government also formed an advisory committee for organising next year’s fair.
Guild representatives Tridib Chatterjee and Sudhanshu Sekhar Dey, along with Prasenjit Bakshi, a member of the advisory committee, reviewed the venue’s current condition on Wednesday.
To ensure transparency in stall bookings and allotments, applications will be invited through an online portal. Applications submitted earlier will also be incorporated into the digital system.
Stall allotments will be made through a lottery after the preliminary scrutiny of applications, the organisers said.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, along with writers, litterateurs, poets and other distinguished guests, is expected to attend the inaugural ceremony, they added.
(PTI News)
