Hyderabad: The much-awaited Hyderabad Book Fair opened its doors at the NTR Stadium on Thursday to a lesser-than-expected crowd.
The 37th edition of the book fair, which will conclude on Dec 29, was inaugurated by chief minister A Revanth Reddy. Shobhan Babu, vice-president of the Hyderabad Book Fair, said around 210 publishers from across the country were participating with over 370 stalls.
The fair, which has as many as 165 stalls for Telugu books, also saw the participation of leading publishers like Telugu Academy, Navchethana, Nava Telangana, Navodaya, Emesco, Telugu Books, Sage, Penguin, Human Rights Forum and others.
Apart from books, the fair also features discussions, book launches, interactive sessions and other literary events. Among the crowd was bibliophile Rajini from Hyderabad, who was eagerly waiting for the fair to begin. “As a book lover, this is my paradise. I’ve found books I’ve been looking for. I can’t wait to take these treasures home and dive in,” she said excitedly.
Bookshop owner Mohammed Nazaruddin, who has been setting up a stall for the past 20 years, said: “I think I’ll see around 10,000 customers this time. Weekends are going to be usually busier and I’m preparing for a crowd.” Book fair organisers are expecting 10 lakh book lovers this year. Although the first day painted a different picture, with empty aisles and subdued energy, organisers are hoping for a better turnout in the coming days.
The 37th edition of the book fair, which will conclude on Dec 29, was inaugurated by chief minister A Revanth Reddy. Shobhan Babu, vice-president of the Hyderabad Book Fair, said around 210 publishers from across the country were participating with over 370 stalls.
The fair, which has as many as 165 stalls for Telugu books, also saw the participation of leading publishers like Telugu Academy, Navchethana, Nava Telangana, Navodaya, Emesco, Telugu Books, Sage, Penguin, Human Rights Forum and others.
Apart from books, the fair also features discussions, book launches, interactive sessions and other literary events. Among the crowd was bibliophile Rajini from Hyderabad, who was eagerly waiting for the fair to begin. “As a book lover, this is my paradise. I’ve found books I’ve been looking for. I can’t wait to take these treasures home and dive in,” she said excitedly.
Bookshop owner Mohammed Nazaruddin, who has been setting up a stall for the past 20 years, said: “I think I’ll see around 10,000 customers this time. Weekends are going to be usually busier and I’m preparing for a crowd.” Book fair organisers are expecting 10 lakh book lovers this year. Although the first day painted a different picture, with empty aisles and subdued energy, organisers are hoping for a better turnout in the coming days.
