1,100 exhibitors from 23 nations at World Book Fair in Delhi

New Delhi: More than 1,100 exhibitors from 23 countries will flock to the Pragati Maidan in the capital for the New Delhi World Book Fair 2013 during Feb 4-10.

The fair will be in 2,100 vends spread across 45,000 square metres of tastefully decorated display space to exhibit and trade in books.

One of the biggest book extravaganzas presented by the country's apex publishing body, the National Book Trust (NBT), the fair will be inaugurated by Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shashi Tharoor, who will deliver the keynote address in the presence of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) president Karan Singh, MP, and French ambassador Francois Richier, the NBT said.

The theme presentation of the festival will be "Indigenous Voices: Mapping India's Folk and Tribal Literature". The fair will include special exhibition of books on various aspects of folk and tribal literature, culture, exhibits of art and crafts, workshops and panel discussions.

As part of the theme presentation, the trust has tied up with the Sangeet Natak Akademi to showcase the cultural heritage of the country's tribal areas with performances every evening at the Lal Chowk Open Air Theatre.

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France will the guest country of honour with focus on "its publishing industry and its contemporary literature through a large contingent of publishers, authors and scholars".

Discussions, conversations, interactions with the country's publishing fraternity, professional roundtables for rights and business, food, music and culture will be at the core of French representation in India.

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The bureau of the International Promotion of French Books, the Festival of India in France, Bonjour, and the Institut of Francais en Inde are displaying close to 2,000 French titles. The French literary sessions will host leading writers like Tahar ben Jelloun, Kenize Murad and Dominique Siguad.

An exhibition, "French Remains", will showcase various aspects of French colonial culture with 15 panels on the French presence in India. The participating countries include nations like China, the US, Poland, South Korea, Turkey and United Nations agencies.

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The regional participation will include 100 language publishers.

Special enclosures have been set up for government participation and e-books. Digital publishing will be in focus with deliberations and development of e-books.

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The NBT, in association with the College of Art, will mount a collective exhibition on Book Art. The Trust, in association with Khublei, an organisation engaged in literary activities, and the Tadpole Repertory will host a cosplay competition Feb 8-9 where young participants will dress up as their favourite literary characters and enact them.

A pavilion exclusively for youth and children will draw schoolchildren with a variety of events, including an authors-illustrators' corner. The pavilion will be inaugurated by Minister of State for Human Resource Development Jitin Prasada.

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The NBT has also tied up with the Kolkata-based Advaita Ashram to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda at the fair.

A new B2B initiative, Rights Table, will offer match-making sessions at Pragati Maidan to bring together publishers, writers, agents, translators and editors from India and abroad at a forum to network and explore business opportunities together.

A session, CEO Speak, a first of its kind forum of CEOs and senior executives of the Indian publishing industry, will be organised by the NBT with FICCI to "share common issues and concerns to evolve a composite agenda for Indian publishing.