Chennai Book Fair begins
[ad_1]
The forty fourth version of the Chennai Book Fair was inaugurated by Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam on Wednesday.
Organised on the YMCA grounds in Nandanam, about 700 stalls have been arrange this yr as towards 800 final yr.
“The numbers dwindled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But most publishers have come forward and put up stalls, which is an encouraging sign,” R.S. Shanmugam, president of the Book Sellers and Publishers Association of South India (BAPASI), informed The Puucho.
He stated that lease for stalls had been slashed by 20% this yr contemplating the truth that many individuals couldn’t promote their books throughout the lockdown.
For those that couldn’t afford lease, area had been supplied for displaying their books.
BAPASI is assured of recording good footfalls this yr. “Those who love reading books will certainly come. During the pandemic, many people started reading books and this particular crowd will visit the exhibition to buy books,” Mr. Shanmugam stated. Quite a lot of story books for kids was obtainable, he stated. “Enquiries have been positive so far. With kids at home, the demand for activity books are increasing,” stated J. Saravanan of Scholastic India.
The truthful has a stall for books really helpful by actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan throughout his Big Boss present. “Suriya’s Agaram Foundation is urging its sponsors to buy books for donating them to schools,” Mr. Shanmugam stated.
Those in-charge of stalls identified an attention-grabbing indisputable fact that many new authors had emerged throughout the lockdown. “We have books by six new authors in our stall,” stated the salesperson at one of many outlets pointing to the books displayed on an enormous desk.
R. Rajasekaran of Seethai Pathippagam stated: “Over 30 new writers have been introduced during the lockdown. Over 105 books have come during the lockdown.”
BAPASI, which has been organising the Chennai e-book truthful since 1976, has put up signboards throughout all areas requesting folks to put on masks and comply with bodily distancing. Those on the stalls have been informed to make use of sanitisers and put on gloves whereas dealing with books.
[ad_2]
