The New Delhi World Book Fair 2024 features books for all age groups, across all genres and subjects and in all languages. Titles vary from non-fiction, fiction, children’s books, spirituality, yoga, health, mythology, science and technology, personality development, business, biography and autobiography, patriotism, art, culture, self-help, textbooks, supplementary reading material, teachers’ learning materials, educational aids, toy-integrated learning material and books and more.
Readers of all ages are visiting the book fair in large numbers with the spread of books available to them across halls one to five in Pragati Maidan.
Although some genres and subjects are commonly sought after by readers of varying ages, this year it is interesting to see that people are searching for books that connect them to their roots and their own culture. A noted publisher says, “This time the interest of children and youth towards books has increased. They are buying more mythological books. Children want to read Ramayana and Mahabharata and youth are demanding books published in regional languages to understand their culture. The understanding of the youth develops according to the subjects they are mostly surrounded by or the reels or posts they see on social media and they also like to read books on the same subjects. Although books are mostly published in Hindi and English, to be proud of their local culture or to reconnect with it, the youth are demanding that books should also be published in other regional languages including Gujarati, Marathi, Bangla and others”.
On day five, at the International Events Corner, an interactive session on Spanish language and publishing was organised by the Delegation from Spain, as well as the ‘Engaging Espanol’ session that delved into the significant role of language in connecting people. In the afternoon, the Austrian Embassy organised a discussion on the evolving nature of Austrian literature in the global and digital era. The Institute for Literary Translation, Russia has been receiving numerous queries from readers of Classic Russian literature, as there is a great interest in the Russian language and translated works in various regional languages, for example, Chekhov in Telugu. The exhibitor from Nepal, White Lotus Book Shop, which has been participating in NDWBF for decades has with them a poet, Amar Akash who released his debut poetry collection ‘Tungana’ at NDWBF 2024.
Instituto Cervantes, Embassy of Spain promoted Spanish language and courses for all attendees. Sri Lanka Book Publishers Association brought with it various Buddhist books, Folktales and Anatomical and Political Science related texts with Tamil collections receiving the most attention.
At hall three comprising children’s publishers, Eklavya Pitara focused on regional languages, crafting stories and poems in dialects such as Bundelkhandi, Gondi and Kurku. One can explore the enchanting world of Pluto and Cycle from Ektara, where children engage in conversations about poetry, nature and science. Award-winning illustrator Richa Jha’s ‘The Pickle Yoke’ invites young minds to ponder the mysteries of the human psyche through picture books. There is a toy-integrated learning zone at the book fair, where play meets education, sparking creativity and igniting young minds with immersive learning experiences. Such innovations go hand-in-hand with the ‘Jaadui Pitara’ learning kit that explores hands-on activities and toys fostering curiosity and critical thinking in learners. Inkmeo’s Reusable Colouring Rolls revolutionise creativity with colourable wallpapers and interactive app integration for wall scribblers. Find books, periodicals and curated rare box sets at FunReads for educationalists, libraries and young adult enthusiasts of Enid Blyton, Sherlock Holmes and Percy Jackson alike. Oswal Books and Learning breathe life into educational materials for all ages, fostering intellectual capacities through question banks and sample papers. Pegasus captivates young learners with illustrated encyclopaedias and moral stories, while BrijBasi offers international interactive art sets and pop-up books. As a start-up, there is a publisher who has books made of cloth and fabric as well.
At the children’s pavilion, among regular features, in the storytelling session, Swati Sinha beautifully narrated Maharashtrian folklore ‘The Magic Ring’ to spread the message of kindness and empathy towards animals with the help of famous Warli Art to our young curious minds. Shakuntala Kalra recited Hindi poems named ‘Patang aur Dori’ and ‘Meri Amma Mere Papa’ to impart the importance of moral values in life to the young audience.
In the authors’ corner, Dr Annurag Batra, Chairman & Editor in Chief, Business World shared his perspective on the topic ‘Life of a Journalist in the Modern Age of Artificial Intelligence’ where he mentioned that “Artificial Intelligence cannot take over in case of journalism as long as you are creating the original content which is beyond AI’s capability”. He shared his views on the integration of AI in media and how India itself has evolved in its digital infrastructural prowess. On the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami, he asserts, “Books are a great way to know about culture, they are our companions and real knowledge givers, Basant Panchami, it is the day of Goddess Saraswati, the knowledge givers, if you read more, you develop your perspective, critical thinking.”
In the enchanting ambience of the amphitheatre, an immersive Kavi Sammelan unfolded, featuring acclaimed poets reciting verses in Gujarati, Hindi, Urdu, Rajasthani, and Punjabi. Renowned wordsmiths like Keshav Tiwari, Vinod Shrivastava, Shariq Kaifi, Madan Mohan Danish, Udayan Thakker, Ambika Dutt and Sukhwinder Amrit captivated the audience with their profound poetry and eloquent expressions.
Dr Shyama Ghonse’s book ‘Krantdarshi Mahatma Basaveshwar’ and Varsha Pargat’s book ‘Shri Krishna’ was released by Vinod Tawde in the presence of Sudhir Sachchidananda Mungantiwar, Minister of Forest, Cultural Affairs and Fisheries, Government of Maharashtra. Tawde said, “The thoughts of every great man are inspiring in themselves. Many of the sayings of Mahatma Basaveshwar ji are relevant even in today’s time. I am happy that the youth of today are reading good literature.”
Some of the dignitaries and luminaries who visited the fair on day five included popular authors like J. Sai Deepak and Akshat Gupta, as well as Karine Pansa (President, IPA) and Alison Barrett, Director, British Council India. K.C. Tyagi, an esteemed politician and former Rajya Sabha member, described the New Delhi Book Fair 2024 as “Upyogi bhi, shaandaar bhi aur jaandaar bhi”. He further stressed that this year’s Book Fair is significantly larger in size, concept and purpose compared to previous years, underscoring its remarkable significance.
As part of the cultural program under the theme ‘Multilingual India: A Living Tradition’, a Multilingual Kavi Sammelan was organised in which poetry was recited in languages like Hindi, Urdu, Gujarati, Rajasthani, Punjabi and more. Under the cultural programs, cultural performances of Maharashtra state were also organised. The youth was seen dancing in these programs till late at night. The cultural stage will host the Shadaj Band and Himalayan Beats by Faisal Ashroor Khan and Band.