In a country of 560 million internet users that ought to come as a surprise, but sadly does not. Like Bangladesh, the publishing community seems determined to cling to tradition over consumer best interests.
Usually running late January into February, the annual Kolkata International Book Fair, among the world’s largest literary events, was last week being touted for a March date, but now June is the front-runner, as municipal elections may be held in March.
Tridib Chatterjee, president of Publishers & Booksellers Guild responsible for organizing the event, explained:
Of course, it is because of the pandemic and forthcoming elections. Also, we felt it would be proper if schools and colleges reopen before we start our fair. The young student crowd is the backbone of our fair.
Unless there are miraculous improvements in the Covid-19 situation in India before then, any June event is likely to be a shadow of the normal huge carnival of books that is the Kolkata fair.
In 2018 the event attracted 2.2 million visitors who spent $3.17 million on books.
In 2020 “only” one million turned out, and 2021 will be much smaller if the announced safety measures are adhered to. Per the Times of India,
State libraries minister Siddiqullah Chowdhury has devised a unique way of controlling the crowds at the district book fairs. The fairs will close after every one hour to see that the first batch of people who have entered, have left the fairground. “This repeated opening and closing of the gates will automatically ensure crowd control.”
It will also ensure few will get in and even fewer will bother trying to attend.
But India’s publishers associations, like those in neighbouring Bangladesh, coincidentally slated as the 2021 guest country, seem determined not to entertain a virtual event to run alongside or in lieu of the real thing.
In a country of 560 million internet users that ought to come as a surprise, but sadly does not. Like Bangladesh, the publishing community seems determined to cling to tradition over consumer best interests.
