Other States - Orissa   

Annual book fair begins

BHUBANESWAR: If India is a world leader in the field of knowledge today and set to be at par with America in economic power by 2050, it’s due to its due emphasis on education and human resource development. And book fairs have played an important role in dissemination of knowledge in India. Former Indian ambassador to the US Mr. Lalit Mansingh observed this while addressing the inaugural function of the 24th annual Bhubaneswar book fair here on Tuesday.

While world’s biggest book fair at Frankfurt received about 1.2 lakh visitors last year, the just concluded New Delhi book-fair attracted 12 lakh visitors and the attendance at Bhubaneswar fair has been growing year after year. This trend shows the positive impact of the books on Indian people, pointed out the illustrious diplomat and son of the legendary Oriya poet and educationist late Mayadhar Mansingh who has been taking keen interest in Orissa’s cultural development after his retirement.

Eminent writer Chandrasekhar Rath, who also spoke on the occasion, dwelt on the relevance of preservation and promotion of Oriya language and literature.

Noted poet Rabi Singh and short story writer Uttam Pradhan were honoured with the Sachi Routray Samman and Bijay Krushna Mohanty Samman respectively by the Book Fair Committee while professors Pathani Patnaik, Rekha Mohanty, Harihar Das and Sarat Pujari were felicitated for their contribution to literature. Patnaik and Das were honoured in absentia.

A number of books were released on the occasion. Among those who addressed the gathering were Committee president Satakadi Hota, secretary Barendra Krushna Dhal and founder members Bibhuti Patnaik and Jugal Kishore Dutta.

The 13-day fair mounted at the Exhibition Grounds with 360 stalls here would remain open daily from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

State stands firm on ban on poultry import
Teenaged girl rescued
Elephant herd enters Ganjam
Youth goes missing
Cycle expedition team to lead peace march
Annual book fair begins
Women’s panel holds camp court
Science Express chugs into Bhubaneswar
Orientation programme
State differs with Centre on tiger census
NCP to organise Paribartan Samabesh

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu