New Delhi World Book Fair 2024 Ends on a High Note!
The 9-day New Delhi World Book Fair 2024 concluded on Sunday, with the fairgrounds brimming over with lakhs and lakhs of visitors and book lovers browsing books, attending author sessions, children’s activities and power-packed cultural performances. It was a complete day-out in itself!
Announcing the next edition of New Delhi World Book Fair which will be held from 1 to 9 February 2025, Prof.Milind Sudhakar Marathe, Chairman, National Book Trust India expressed happiness on the success of New Delhi World Book Fair 2024. He conveyed his gratitude to all the readers, publishers, co-organizing organizations and media and said, “We are confident thatmore publishers and readers will participate next year and the global identity of Indian publishing industry will be strengthened.”ShriYuvraj Malik, Director, National Book Trust India, said“the next edition will see larger participation of CEOs and Fair Directors of the world’s book fairs, and more B2B sessions will be part of the Book Fair. There will be a special showcase of literature from the guest country as well as a focus state or union territory. The Festival of Festivals will be even more inclusive, with readers will be able to share their e-mail recommendations to meet their favorite author.” He also added that preparations for next NDWBF have already started, and interested publishers can send their participation requests.
On the business front, New Delhi Rights Table (NDRT) – the two-day B2B exchange forum, organised at the world book fair witnessed participation from over 40 participating countries and 500 scheduled meetings, including notable representatives from the United Kingdom, Argentina, Spain, France, Turkey, Iran, Italy, UAE, Nepal, Bangladesh, and more. The Publishing Conference – CEOSpeak – hosted by National Book Trust, India provided a platform to CEOS, MDs, and senior publishing professionals to deliberate on crucial aspects of the publishing industry, with a particular focus on the multilingual landscape and integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI). On the sidelines of the New Delhi World Book Fair, an interactive session of the PM-YUVA authors with the Hon’ble President of India, SmtDraupadiMurmu, was organized by National Book Trust, India at RashtrapatiBhavan under the Sahitya, Kala EvamRachnaShivir program of the RashtrapatiBhavan. While interacting with 55 PM-YUVA 1.0 authors and 37 PM-YUVA 2.0 authors, the Hon’ble President lauded the efforts of the Ministry of Education (with National Book Trust, India) as the Nodal Agency, and especially appreciated the efforts of the young authors.
Nestled within the International Pavilion was the Illustrator’s Corner which hosted world-class Italian illustrators offering Portfolio Reviews, Master classes, and Workshops. The Illustrator’s Corner showcased the stunning mandala art of Devanshee Srivastava, an artist with an 85% intellectual disability, emphasizing inclusivity in art.
NDWBF 2024’s Guest of Honor country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia offered a captivating 360-degree visual experience at their designated section. The International Pavilion hosted more than 50 events by international delegations composed of foreign dignitaries, publishers, scholars, and authors. Theme Pavilion at New Delhi World Book Fair 2024 – Multilingual INDIA: A Living Tradition (Bahubhaashi Bharat: Ek Jeevant Parampara) and the photo exhibition on ‘Jammu Kashmir & Ladakh through the ages’ by ICHR enthralled and educated the visitors at the same time.
On the last day of the fair, Rahul Mitra, Dr. Rajiv Shrivastav, Avijeet Ghosh, and Arnab Banerjee explored the first encyclopedia on Hindi cinema at the Theme Pavilion in a session organized by IGNCA. In another session organized by Bharat Lit Festival under the FoF initiative, NeerjaChowdhury had a candid conversation with RJ Ginnie on the book ‘How Prime Ministers decide’. Additionally, National Book Trust India organized a discussion on ‘Multilingual India and Mother-Tongue: Its importance in NEP2020’, featuring Anita Karwal, Manoj Srivastava, and Rainish Kumar, moderated by Rashi Sharma.
The inaugural Festival of Festivals (FoF) at the New Delhi World Book Fair marked a resounding success, uniting prominent literary festivals from across India under one inclusive platform. The event featured engaging sessions and book launches, adding vibrancy to the literary exchange and celebration. Accomplished guests from festivals such as Ahmedabad Lit Fest, Cine Durbar, Bharat Lit Fest, Pragati E Vichar Lit Fest, The Great Indian Book Tour, and Solh Talks graced the event, engaging in thought-provoking discussions and enriching exchanges. Notable attendees included Sharmistha Mukherjee, Adah Sharma, Saurabh Dwivedi, Rajat Sharma, Mukul Kumar, Abhay K, Col. R. S. N. Singh, Devinder Kumar, Manisha Bhasin, Sadaf Hussain, Suvir Saran and Dr. Upendranath Raina.
Whereas the authors’ corner hosted AnnuragBatra, Hans Raj Hans, Col. Rajeev Varman, NidhiChapekar, Priyam Gandhi Mody, Tuhin A. Sinha, and Dr. Monica SoodA special highlight of the Children’s Corner, NCCL & NBT organized daily storytelling sessions at the New Delhi World Book Fair. The cultural events hosted in the amphitheater showcased the vibrant essence of India’s multilingual heritage, celebrating art, culture, and diversity. Notable musical performances include the bands Dashugs, Shlovij, YUGM, Sadho, Himalayan Beats, Raagni, Riwayat, Gutipo, and Thaikkudam Bridge, alongside cultural presentations from the State of Maharashtra.
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