Hyderabad’s 36th National Book Fair honours Gaddar

While the venue for this year’s exhibition is named after the civil rights activist Gaddar, the stage bears the name of Ravva Srihari, a renowned scholar in Sanskrit and Telugu

Hyderabad: The NTR Stadium in Hyderabad is bustling with activity as it hosts the 36th edition of the National Book Fair on its expansive grounds. Organised by the Hyderabad Book Fair Society, the annual fair kicked off on February 9, drawing bibliophiles from all corners of the city.

This year’s fair showcases a vast array of literature across 365 stalls, with 115 exclusively featuring Telugu works. Visitors can also browse through works of renowned publishers from various States, published in multiple languages. Books of all kinds will be displayed, including comics, drawing books, biographies, fiction of all genres, classical literature, and novels.

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“The fair consistently draws large crowds, and we are anticipating thousands of people to turn up. There is a need to revive reading culture and hosting events like these is a step towards achieving that goal,” said Juluru Gaurishankar, the president of the organising committee at the exhibition.

While the venue for this year’s exhibition is named after the civil rights activist Gaddar, the stage bears the name of Ravva Srihari, a renowned scholar in Sanskrit and Telugu. A monument honouring Telangana martyrs is also erected on the exhibition premises.

The book fair will feature literary programs, scheduled each evening at 6 pm. These highlights include a seminar on children’s literature, explorations of the literary contributions of Ravva Srihari, an interview with literary critic Sangishetty Srinivasa Rao, discussions on ‘Dalita Bahujana Tatvikata’ by Paramahamsa, an authors’ panel reflecting on the evolution of civilization, and a range of other captivating sessions.

“Attending book fairs is always fun. We are exploring the stalls and glad to discover a significant amount of Telugu literature,” said a visitor. “This is the first time I’m participating in an exhibition. It’s been rewarding to interact with numerous book enthusiasts, addressing their queries, and connecting with people,” expressed a vendor from Delhi.

The book fair welcomes visitors until February 19, operating from 2 pm to 8:30 pm every day, and from 1 pm to 9 pm on weekends. Entry is free for children, teachers, and journalists.