44th Agartala Book Fair: 13-Day Literary Fest starts on Jan 2
Agartala, Jan 1: The much-awaited 44th Agartala Book Fair is set to begin on Thursday at the Hapania International Fair Ground, marking the start of a 13-day celebration of books, culture and ideas in Tripura’s capital.
According to a Government press release, Chief Minister Professor (Dr.) Manik Saha will formally inaugurate the literary festival at 4 pm.
The inaugural programme will be attended by several dignitaries, including Tribal Welfare Minister Bikash Debbarma, Deputy Speaker of the Tripura Legislative Assembly Ram Prasad Paul, Agartala Municipal Corporation Mayor and MLA Dipak Majumder, and West Tripura Zilla Parishad Acting Sabhadhipati Biswajit Shil. Senior officials such as Information and Cultural Affairs Secretary Dr P K Chakraborty and Vice Chairman of the State-Level Cultural Advisory Committee Subrata Chakraborty will also be present as special guests.
Eminent personalities, including Padma Shri awardee and former Vice-Chancellor of Tripura Central University Dr Arunoday Saha, noted writer Naresh Debbarma and distinguished author Milankanti Dutta, have been invited as special guests. The programme will be presided over by MLA Mina Rani Sarkar.
The Hapania fairground has already been decorated to welcome visitors.
This year’s book fair carries the theme “Vande Mataram”, reflecting a blend of patriotism, culture and intellectual spirit. Around 183 stalls have been set up, with publishers and booksellers from across the region showcasing a wide range of titles.
Continuing its long-standing tradition, the Agartala Book Fair will feature a variety of literary and cultural activities, including poets’ meets, book releases, panel discussions, quiz competitions, extempore speech contests and photography exhibitions.
Cultural programmes presented by artists from different districts of Tripura will be held every evening.
Free bus services
To facilitate easy travel for book lovers, free bus services have once again been arranged from different parts of Agartala during the fair period. Buses will operate daily from Chandrapur Bus Stand, Radhanagar Bus Stand and in front of Rabindra Bhavan.
The 44th Agartala Book Fair will be held from January 2 to January 14, remain open daily from 1 pm to 9 pm, and, as in previous years, will be open to all.