US to be focal theme for '08 Kolkata Book Fair

Kolkata, Sep 1: The US will be the focal theme of the 33rd Kolkata Book Fair beginning here from January 30, 2008.

Scotland will be the guest of honour country during the 12-day event, arguably the world's largest such fair. The annual fair is orgainsed by the Publishers and Booksellers Guild.

Last year Australia, US, China, France, Great Britain, Iran, Poland, Ecuador, Germany, Latin American countries, Africa, the European Union and Bangladesh had participated in the fair which generated tremendous business inquiries. The fair had attracted some 2.5 million visitors.

However, the fair had its share of controversy with regard to its venue, traditionally the Maidan area which is under the army. But for some years environmentalists and the army had been against holding the fair there as they said it caused pollution and damaged the green top of the sprawling parade ground.

Environmentalists, led by Shubash Dutta, went to court and Calcutta High Court ruled in their favour. Consequently, this year the fair was held in Salt Lake.

This time though the organisers have assured the public of a centrally located area in the city.

International Publishers Association, Geneva, has incorporated Kolkata Book Fair in its International Books and Multimedia Fair's calendar. Recently, it was also incorporated by the Frankfurt Book Fair authorities as one of the International Book Fairs, according to Publishers and Booksellers Guild general secretary Tribid Kumar Chatterjee.

UNI