The UK will be the Keynote Country for the Kolkata Book Fair, which Begins in January

Explore the 47th Kolkata Book Fair at Central Park, featuring a UK theme, 1,000 stalls, global participants, and exciting literature events.

on Nov 29, 2023

The UK will be the Keynote Country for the Kolkata Book Fair, which Begins in January | Frontlist

The book fair, which will be held in Salt Lake City's Central Park, will have approximately 1,000 stalls.

On January 18, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will open the 47th International Kolkata Book Fair, which will run till January 31st.

The annual fair's organiser, the Booksellers and Publishers Guild, revealed on Tuesday that the United Kingdom will be the focus theme country this year. The book fair, which will be held in Salt Lake City's Central Park, will have approximately 1,000 stalls.

Participants will come from Germany, the United States, France, Italy, Spain, Thailand, Australia, Bangladesh, Peru, Argentina, and Colombia, according to Publishers and Booksellers Guild general secretary Tridib Chatterjee.

"In terms of attendance, the International Kolkata Book Fair is the world's largest book festival, and we are pleased to announce that many new publishers have applied to participate in the 47th edition." Last year, a record 26 lakh book enthusiasts attended the fair," he said, adding that books worth Rs 25 crore were sold during the event.

He stated that the UK has historical and cultural ties with the city, and that the British Council has long been a part of the book fair.

"You've probably seen that the International Kolkata Book Fair 2024 has to be pushed back a few days. The main reason for this is that the central and state board exams begin at the end of January and the beginning of February. "We believe that the change in dates is good news for book lovers, because they can take advantage of the additional holidays of January 23 and 26
in addition to the two Saturdays and two Sundays to enjoy the fair," he added.

British Deputy High Commissioner Andrew Fleming expressed joy that the UK had been chosen as the keynote country for this year's book expo. "It would be a fantastic opportunity to further understanding and appreciation and foster people-to-people links," he added.

Along with national and international publishers, the book expo will feature booksellers from numerous states, including UP, Haryana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat. Along with the book market, the Kolkata Literature Festival will be place, with writers, poets, columnists, and politicians debating various themes. It will take place on January 26 and 28.