6 days ago
Government Board Reshapes Kolkata International Book Fair’s Organization
The government of Bengal has created a new group to help guide the Kolkata International Book Fair.
The group has 24 members from different areas.
The next fair will be the event’s 50th edition.
It is planned for January 22 to February 3 in 2027.
The Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre and National Book Trust will work with the fair organizers.
Government and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders say the new board will make decisions above the Publishers and Booksellers Guild.
They say this could give more publishers a fair chance to get stalls.
The Guild says it is still the organizer and welcomes advice from the new board.
The Suvendu Adhikari government formed a 24-member advisory board for the 2027 Kolkata International Book Fair.
The 50th edition is scheduled for January 22 to February 3 next year.
The fair will be organized with the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre and National Book Trust under the board’s guidance.
Bharatiya Janata Party leaders said the board ends the Publishers and Booksellers Guild’s independent control.
The Guild said it remains the organizer and intends to conduct the landmark edition successfully with the board’s advice.
- Who
- The Suvendu Adhikari government, a 24-member advisory board, the Publishers and Booksellers Guild, the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, and the National Book Trust.
- What
- The government formed an advisory board to guide and oversee arrangements for the 50th Kolkata International Book Fair.
- Where
- Kolkata, with the government meetings held at Nabanna.
- When
- The board was announced on Wednesday after meetings on August 17 and 21; the fair is scheduled for January 22 to February 3 in 2027.
- Why
- The government and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders said intervention was needed to address alleged bias and unequal stall allocation by the Guild.
Government and BJP Position
Guild Position
Who controls the fair
Government and BJP Position
Government and Bharatiya Janata Party representatives said the advisory board has been placed above the Guild and will make decisions related to organizing the fair.
Guild Position
The Publishers and Booksellers Guild said it has been retained as the organizer and will conduct the 50th edition with advice from the board.
Access for publishers
Government and BJP Position
Bharatiya Janata Party leaders and board members alleged that the Guild had excluded publishers and provided some with narrow or corner spaces, and said the new system would ensure access regardless of political ideology.
Guild Position
The Guild’s statement welcomed the advisory board but did not accept the allegation that its independent role had ended.
Role of the advisory board
Government and BJP Position
The government order says the fair will be organized in collaboration with the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre and National Book Trust under the board’s advice and guidance, with the Guild required to follow its directives.
Guild Position
The Guild said it wants to organize the landmark 50th edition with advice from the advisory board, indicating cooperation rather than replacement.
Key facts
- Advisory board
- 24 members
- Book fair edition
- 50th edition
- Scheduled dates
- January 22 to February 3, 2027
- Government partners
- Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre and National Book Trust
- Board convener
- Journalist Prasenjit Bakshi
- Guild secretary
- Tridib Kumar Chatterjee
- Guild president
- Sudhangshushekhar De
Quotes
Tridib Kumar Chatterjee
Secretary of the Publishers and Booksellers Guild
“Hundreds of publishers were deprived of getting space at the book fair. Many publishers were given narrow, corner spaces on the (book fair) grounds. Now we are happy that the government has intervened, and we will ensure that all publishers, irrespective of their political ideology, get space at the 50th edition of the book fair.”
telegraphindia.com
“The absolute monopoly of the Guild has ended. The government has placed the advisory board above it, which will take all decisions related to organising the book fair.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
Related news
West Bengal Broadens Kolkata Book Fair Organising Committee
Bengal Forms Panel to Oversee Kolkata Book Fair 2027
Kolkata Book Fair gets new advisory board, Guild leaders dropped
West Bengal to Remove Mamata Banerjee Books from Libraries
Bengal govt assures all possible support for Durga Puja organisers
Bengal Minister Warns Mamata Over 19 Unreturned Tagore Books
Calcutta Schools Plan Relief Aid for Flood-Hit Nepal
