Assam Book Fair returns to Guwahati from Dec 24 with 135 stalls, national reach

Guwahati, Dec 23: The Assam Book Fair in Guwahati is set to scale up into a major literary festival this year, with a strong national publisher presence, an expanded programme calendar and large-scale recognition for young writers.

Organised by the Publication Board Assam in collaboration with the All Assam Book Publishers and Sellers Association, the 14-day fair will be held at the Khanapara Veterinary College playground from December 24.

Publication Board secretary Pramod Kalita said the fair was advanced this year to accommodate preparations for Republic Day on January 26.

Kalita said the duration has been extended from 12 days last year to 14 days this time, reflecting growing participation and footfall.

“As many as 135 stalls will be set up, with publishers from across the country. These include 11 publishers from Delhi and Haryana, 17 from Kolkata, one each from Mumbai and Hyderabad, besides a large contingent from Assam,” he told the press, on Tuesday.

Books stacked in piles as workers give the final touches to the stalls. (Photo: Kangkan Bordoloi)

Several publishers who opted for smaller stalls last year have upgraded to executive stalls following strong sales in the previous edition, he added.

One of the major highlights of this year’s fair will be the felicitation of 818 young writers, each of whom will receive Rs 25,000 as recognition.

Kalita said the initiative is aimed at nurturing young literary talent and strengthening the future of Assamese literature.

“Writers below the age of 35 have also been invited to submit entries for the young writers’ meet,” he said.

A multilingual poets’ gathering has been scheduled for January 3, featuring poets writing in Assamese, Bodo, Karbi, Mising, Nepali and several other Indian languages.

The fair will also foreground literary heritage and cultural remembrance. The main auditorium will be named after cultural icon Zubeen Garg, while two other auditoriums will honour noted journalist Prafulla Govinda Baruah and eminent litterateur Basanta Kumar Bhattacharya.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will inaugurate the fair, while author Amish Tripathi will attend as a special guest.

Education Minister Ranoj Pegu, the president of the Asam Sahitya Sabha and several other literary figures will participate in various sessions.

The concluding day will feature noted Odia writer and Sahitya Akademi awardee Parmita Satpathy, along with senior writers Arup Kumar Dutta and Dr Amarjyoti Choudhury.

The fair will also host the Assam Publication Board Sahitya Award, which will be conferred on Dipak Kumar Bokakoti for Aishwarjya. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, while the publisher, Bandhav Prakashan, will receive Rs 2 lakh.

Kalita said the organisers have consistently followed a book-only model, without combining business or food fairs, a format that has seen success across venues.

This year’s focus, he added, is on strengthening reading culture, giving Assamese literature a national platform, and fostering meaningful engagement between readers, writers and publishers.