The choice of name, styling itself as a book festival rather than an international book fair suggests a pragmatic approach towards the event’s future, with focus on readers over rights and the industry’s needs.

Ahmedabad is set to host the 1st edition of the Ahmedabad International Book Festival (AIBF), inaugurated by Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupendrabhai Patel, on 30 November at the Sabarmati Riverfront Event Centre.

Organisers have stated that this festival builds on the legacy of the ‘Vanche Gujarat’ initiative and the 2024 New Delhi World Book Fair, marking a new chapter in the 12-year legacy of the Amdavad National Book Fair, which held its 9th incarnation in January 2024. The partnership between the National Book Trust, India, and the Municipal Corporation of Ahmedabad aims to bring the festivity of world literature to Ahmedabad.

Festival Highlights

  • Dates: 30th November – 8th December
  • Venue: Sabarmati Riverfront Event Centre
  • Stalls and Exhibitors: 340 stalls by 147 exhibitors from across India
  • Area: Spanning 325,000 sq. ft., one of the largest book festivals in India

AIBF will offer a platform for literature and cultural exchange, featuring renowned publishers such as Rajkamal Prakashan, Jaico Publishing House, Pan Macmillan India, Atlantic Publishers, Vitasta Publishing, Niyogi Books, and Navneet Education Limited. The festival aims to establish Ahmedabad as a potential UNESCO World Book Capital and foster international participation in the coming years.

Notable Participants

  • Cultural Institutions: National Book Trust, India; Rashtriya E-Pustakalaya; Sahitya Akademi; Sangeet Natak Akademi
  • Literary Sessions: Over 100 sessions across 5 stages, including children’s, authors’, literary workshops, international literature, culinary literature, cultural performances, and design+ stages
  • International and Gujarati Authors: Including Padma Shri Raghuveer Chaudhary, Padma Shri Kumar Pal Desai, Padma Shri Jagdish Trivedi, Padma Shri Shahbuddin Rathod, Monika Halan, Ram Mori, E. V. Ramakishan, Saurabh Bajaj, William Dalrymple, Guillermo Rodriguez Martin, Monica Kowaleczko-Szumowska, Mette Johansson

In the past, the national event has attracted more than 300,000 visitors, although recent numbers seem not to be available.

The choice of name, styling itself as a book festival rather than an international book fair suggests a pragmatic approach towards the event’s future, with a focus on readers over rights and the industry’s needs.

This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsletter.