18th New Delhi World Book Fair opens tomorrow

New Delhi, Feb 1 (UNI) Book lovers of the capital will again get an opportunity to renew their tryst with world literature, when the 18th New Delhi World Book Fair begins at Pragati Maidan tomorrow.

The nine-day knowledge extravaganza, organised by National Book Trust (NBT), an autonomous organisation under the Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry, will be inaugurated by HRD Minister Arjun Singh tomorrow.

The fair, organised in Hall Nos 1 to 14 of Pragati Maidan, will feature more than 1200 publishers from 23 countries, including Germany, Russia, Pakistan, Iran and Vietnam, displaying their range of publications.

As India has declared 2008 as Year of Russia in India, Russia has been invited in the fair as an honorary guest, National Book Trust (NBT) director Nuzhat Husain said at a press conference here.

More than 80 Russian publishers would display their latest publications in the Russian pavilion. Russia will also organise some debates, literary events and special programs for children.

During the fair, NBT will organise a series of programs, workshops and lectures.

In commemoration of 60 years of Mahatma Gandhi's martyrdom, there would be an international rights exhibition on books written by Gandhi and books written on him.

There will also be a number of programmes dedicated to youth and children.

NBT organises a biennial New Delhi World Book Fair at International level. The New Delhi World Book Fair is the Second Biggest Book Fair in the world.

The Trust was established in 1957 by the Government of India to organise book fairs across the country in order to promote the habit of reading among the masses.

UNI MS RP RN2004