The 53rd International Book Fair kicked off in the Indian capital, New Delhi, on January 10. More than a thousand publishers from more than 35 countries are participating in the nine-day fair. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan attended the grand opening of the event. In his speech, Pradhan noted that books are a source of knowledge that unites generations, preserves the memories of cultures and guides society in the right direction. He called the New Delhi International Book Fair the country’s biggest celebration of the reading culture and emphasized that this event has become a prestigious and reliable platform for world publishers.
The Education Minister said that in the digital age, the main task of the country’s government is to make education accessible and universal, where language should serve as a bridge, not a barrier. He announced that more than 6000 free e-books in more than 23 languages will be available through the National e-library located at the fair. These books will also have modern functions such as “text-to-speech”. In an interview with journalists, the Minister once again emphasized that the government attaches great importance to encouraging the habit of reading among young people.
The theme of this year’s exhibition is “Indian Military History: Valour and Wisdom @ 75”. The centerpiece of the exhibition is a thematic display. It features over 500 books on military history and over 100 events are planned to coincide with the event. The book exhibition will run until January 18.
