The 48th edition of the International Kolkata Book Fair saw a steady inflow of bibliophiles on Day 1. The book fair is being held from January 29 to February 9, noon to 8pm
All images by Arnab DuttaThe gates at this year’s Book Fair have been named after authors and musicians like Ritwik Ghatak and Salil Chowdhury. Chowdhury’s birth centenary is being celebrated this year
A gate has been also dedicated to poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. Islam is also known as ‘Bidrohi Kobi’ (revolutionary poet), whose 125th birth anniversary was celebrated in 2024
Among the European authors, a gate has been named after Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Germany is the theme country of this year’s Book Fair
Readers of various age groups visited the Kolkata Book Fair, also called ‘Boi Mela’ in Bengali. It is a one-stop hub for books of various literary genres, from classics in English and Bengali language to contemporary literature. One can also find books in other European native languages in the foreign pavilion of the fair
Comics — a genre which is undergoing an evolution around the world and is fighting to be considered as a part of literature —- has a dedicated reader base. Bengal, home to noted names like Narayan Debnath, Debasish Deb among others, has contributed significantly to the genre. Comic book collectors of all age groups visit the book fair to add more to their collections
A firefighting robot was demonstrated at the fair in the presence of Tridib Chattopadhyay, president of the Publishers and Booksellers Guild; and Sujit Bose, minister of the Department of Fire and Emergency Services at the Government of West Bengal. The robots, made by Institute of Fire Service, were launched in 2019
To ensure safety in the book fair premises, held at the Boi Mela Prangan in Karunamoyee, Salt Lake, the fire department demonstrated how to use a fire extinguisher during a hazard