Being the theme country at the 47th International Kolkata Book Fair that kicked off yesterday at the Central Park Mela Ground in Salt Lake and will be on till January 31, the UK is all set to make it an unforgettable literary celebration. Adding to the zeal is also the fact that the British Council in India is celebrating its 75th anniversary. Expect a host of authors, scholars, and experts to bring alive the UK Pavilion and the SBI Auditorium and engage in thought-provoking discussions addressing society’s challenges.
Starting today, the evenings will come alive with animated and enriching discussions that will make the connection between the two countries stronger. The first event at the UK Pavilion will be a talk by Michael Wilson, professor of drama and head of Creative Arts at Loughborough University, followed by author Nandini Das, who will throw light on her British Academy Book Prize-winning title, Courting India: England, Mughal India and the Origins of Empire. Other authors that should be on your must-list are Roma Agarwal, who will engage in a talk with Alison Barrett, MBE, director India, British Council; Indian-born British economist and former Labour politician, Lord Meghnad Desai; Anupama Raju, who will address a panel on the future of English with Lina Mukhopadhyay and Shaktibrata Sen.
Apart from them, bringing alive winter evenings at the venue will be Sebastian Faulks, a renowned British novelist celebrated for his historical novels like Birdsong and Charlotte Gray. On January 26, Daniel Hahn, a distinguished British writer, editor and translator will shed light on the intriguing facet of literary translation. Another session that is a must-not-miss is by Nia Morias, a Welsh-language children’s poet laureate and an esteemed writer hailing from Cardiff, who will be in conversation with local poets on January 28 and will delve into the intricate role of language in literature.
The UK Pavilion will also host a range of activities engaging young minds in open quiz drawing competitions, library activities, doodle art, storytelling and bookmark art sessions.
“We are bringing the best of the UK literature and academic expertise to the IKBF via some of the most respected UK experts and speakers. The UK pavilion has been designed to offer an immersive experience reflecting the essence of the British culture, emphasising its modern contributions to education, the English language and the arts. Our curated collection of events includes ‘GREAT Talks’ addressing climate change, micro-bit judging, and discussions on literature and language learning. In the upcoming days, visitors can look forward to diverse events exploring topics such as the future of non-human resources, as well as engaging discussions on translation, languages, and popular culture,” said Debanjan Chakrabarti, director, East & North East, British Council.