Today, a look at the Bidhanaggar Fair, a cornerstone of eastern India’s publishing calendar,

The 2025-26 Indian book fair season is in full swing by now, and many millions will be at these remarkable events across this most remarkable country. As ever, TNPS will try capture some of the fair and festivals, while missing many, many more.

Today, a look at the Bidhanaggar Fair, a cornerstone of eastern India’s publishing calendar, which returns for its annual incarnation from 1–21 December 2025 at the Bidhannagar Book Fair Grounds in Kolkata.

The strategically timed 21-day event precedes the massive International Kolkata Book Fair at the same venue. By massive, I mean attracting millions, literally, of visitors.

Leadership and Governance

I normally skip back-room organisation details about these events, but let me make an exception here to give an idea of the scale and challenges of events like this one.

Kolkata’s Mayor and Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim will inaugurate the fair, with operational oversight from Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Mayor Krishna Chakraborty. The BMC has constituted functional committees comprising all 41 councillors, ensuring professional management across security, logistics, and international relations.

Scale and International Participation

The fair will feature 500 trading spaces: 335 single stalls, 15 pavilions, 60 kiosks, and 88 sheds, complemented by dedicated entertainment zones.

International participation remains robust, with confirmed exhibitors from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkey, and Egypt. Organisers anticipate Bangladeshi publishers will again secure presence, continuing a tradition of South Asian literary exchange that has characterised previous editions.

Commercial Framework

Selected through competitive tender, the organising committee’s bid of ₹1.91 crore (approximately $229,000 USD) was accepted from six proposals. This transparent procurement process, compliant with Indian municipal financial regulations, underlines the fair’s professional commercial structure.

Infrastructure Legacy

Proceeds directly fund the BMC’s “Rabindra Bhavan” cultural complex, budgeted at ₹41.9 crore ($5 million). The project has received ₹7.25 crore ($868,000) for foundations and ₹3.65 crore ($437,000) for structural work, with the Urban Development Minister instrumental in securing municipal allocations.

Strategic Value for Publishers

For industry professionals, Bidhannagar Fair offers early-market access to eastern India’s ₹2,000-crore ($240 million) annual book-buying season. Its established international pavilion programme, transparent governance, and dedicated B2B zones make it a critical platform for rights negotiations, distribution agreements, and direct engagement with Bengal’s literate consumer base of over 90 million.

#BidhannagarFair #IndiaPublishing #IndiaBookMarket #SouthAsiaPublishing

This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.