The Assam Book Fair will make its much-anticipated return to Guwahati, set to commence on December 24. Organised by the Publication Board Assam in collaboration with the All Assam Book Publishers and Sellers Association, the 14-day event will be hosted at the Khanapara Veterinary College playground.
Pramod Kalita, secretary of the Publication Board, noted that the decision to advance the fair this year was made to allow adequate time for Republic Day preparations. The duration of the fair has also been extended from 12 to 14 days due to increased participation and positive response from the public.
A total of 135 stalls will be established, featuring publishers from various regions, including Delhi, Haryana, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Assam. Notably, several publishers who occupied smaller stalls last year have upgraded to executive stalls following strong sales.
One of the fair’s highlights will be the recognition of 818 young writers, each of whom will receive a cash award of Rs 25,000. This initiative aims to nurture young literary talent and bolster Assamese literature. Additionally, writers under the age of 35 have been invited to participate in a special young writers’ meet.
The event will also include a multilingual poets’ meet on January 3, attracting poets from diverse backgrounds who write in Assamese, Bodo, Karbi, Mising, Nepali, and other Indian languages.
Cultural icons will be honored during the fair, with the main auditorium named after the celebrated artist Zubeen Garg. Two additional auditoriums will recognize the contributions of journalist Prafulla Govinda Baruah and eminent writer Basanta Kumar Bhattacharya.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is slated to inaugurate the fair, with renowned author Amish Tripathi attending as a special guest. Education Minister Ranoj Pegu, the president of the Asam Sahitya Sabha, and various noted writers will also participate in different sessions throughout the event.
On the closing day, award-winning Odia writer Parmita Satpathy, alongside Arup Kumar Dutta and Dr. Amarjyoti Choudhury, will be featured.
The Assam Publication Board Sahitya Award will be presented to author Dipak Kumar Bokakoti for his work, Aishwarjya. This prestigious award comes with a prize of Rs 5 lakh, and publisher Bandhav Prakashan will receive Rs 2 lakh in recognition of their contributions.
Kalita emphasized that the fair will maintain a book-only model, eschewing food and business stalls to focus solely on promoting reading culture, providing a platform for Assamese literature on a national stage, and fostering engagement among readers, writers, and publishers.
Original Source: https://nenow.in/guwahati/assam-book-fair-returns-to-guwahati-with-135-stalls-stronger-national-reach-from-dec-24.html
Category: Assam,Guwahati,Northeast News,Top News
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Publish Date: 2025-12-23 16:18:00
