The Hindu : New Delhi News : The world of books returns to the Capital

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

The world of books returns to the Capital

Bigger and better, the 17th New Delhi World Book Fair returns to the Capital this January. And this time it promises to focus on not just the best of literary works from around the globe but also provide a peek into the problems, challenges and developments of the publishing industry.

To be inaugurated on January 27, the nine-day-long Fair will see nearly 1,300 participants including 37 from 18 foreign countries and international organisations such as the WHO, UNICEF and the European Union.

Spread over eight halls of Pragati Maidan, the Fair will have as many as 1,972 stalls and 314 stands showcasing books from around the world. Union Human Resources Development Minister Arjun Singh will inaugurate the event, while eminent writer Mahasweta Devi will be the guest of honour.

At a press conference here on Tuesday, National Book Trust chairman Bipan Chandra said while the presence of regional Indian writers had seen an increase this year, the foreign participation was yet another highlight.

On display at the Fair will be books from the US, Britain, Singapore, Malaysia, Italy, Mauritius, Canada, Japan and Germany among others.

With the focus this time on "Composite Culture in a Multicultural Society", a two-day international seminar on the subject will see thinkers, academicians, scholars and creative writers deliberate on the issue. Multicultural diversity will also be showcased through various cultural programmes.

This year will see the Fair host separate pavilions for children and youth. From seminars and workshops to staging of street plays and screening of films, these pavilions will be full of activity through the nine days of the Fair.

This is the first time that a special corner has been marked for the youth, the pavilion while highlighting the role of youngsters through various events will also see the country's youth icons interact with the visitors. According to the National book Trust, young parliamentarians like Rahul Gandhi and Sachin Pilot have been invited for the interactions.

A major highlight of the children's' pavilion will be display of books from Asian countries. From book reviews to story-telling sessions and creative writing workshops to panel discussions, there will be much more to look forward to.

Acting as a nodal point for business transactions will be the Rights Corner, a new addition that has been set up to facilitate purchase and sale of rights, co-publishing, translations and reprinting rights for publishers, booksellers and other people related to book trade. — Lakshmi B. Ghosh

. — Lakshmi B. Ghosh

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