Agartala, Oct 28, 2024, By Our Correspondent
The 43rd Agartala Book Fair is set to take place from January 2 to 14, with preparations in full swing following a recent meeting led by Tripura's Chief Minister, Professor (Dr.) Manik Saha, at the Muktadhara auditorium in Agartala. The Chief Minister extended his best wishes for the fair’s success and emphasized the importance of encouraging younger generations to embrace reading in a time dominated by social media and digital content.
Highlighting the fair's role in promoting literature, Dr. Saha urged organizers to focus on engaging students at all levels, aiming to foster a love for books among the youth. He also appealed to local clubs to actively participate by purchasing books at the event. In his address, he underscored the importance of involving more students in this year’s activities to bolster the fair’s impact.
Dr. PK Chakraborty, Secretary of the Information and Culture Department, reviewed last year's achievements, noting that the theme for the 42nd fair was “Glorious India.” The previous event featured 175 book stalls, performances by 1,600 artists, and a poetry conference with 345 poets. In total, 154 new books were released. Dr. Chakraborty added that seminars, quizzes, and impromptu speaking contests were also part of the activities.
During the meeting, Information and Culture Department Officer Bimbisar Bhattacharya provided insights into the event’s logistics, and several prominent journalists, poets, and representatives from publishers’ associations shared their views. Notable attendees included Deputy Speaker of the Tripura Legislative Assembly Ramprasad Pal, Agartala Municipal Corporation Mayor and MLA Deepak Majumdar, West Tripura Zilla Parishad Chairman Balai Goswami, and Vice-Chancellor of MBBU Satydeo Poddar.
With the theme yet to be announced, this year’s Agartala Book Fair is expected to attract widespread participation from the community, focusing on instilling a love of literature in the youth.