The ongoing Book Fair at ITF Ground in Sri Vijaya Puram continued to attract visitors from across the city, with strong footfall recorded from bibliophiles, students, educators and families exploring a wide range of books and cultural activities. Organised by National Book Trust, India with the support of the Department of Art and Culture of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, the fair has brought together publishers, readers and performers at a single venue.
A total of 31 publishers from mainland India have set up stalls at the fair, offering books across genres, languages and age groups. Visitors were seen browsing through collections ranging from children’s literature and academic titles to fiction, non-fiction and regional language publications. The fair has emerged as a key attraction for students and young readers, with schools encouraging participation as part of learning beyond classrooms.
The Chief Secretary of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, Chandra Bhushan Kumar, visited the Book Fair and went around various stalls, observing the diversity of publications on display. The visit underscored the administration’s focus on promoting reading culture and access to quality literature in the islands. The Secretary, Art and Culture, Jyoti Kumari, was also present during the visit.
A major highlight of the fair has been the Children’s Corner, which has continued to engage young participants through structured learning and creative activities. On the sixth day of the Children’s Corner programme, more than 200 children from different schools across the city participated in multiple interactive sessions designed to combine education with entertainment.
The day began with a Story Craft workshop where children created animal characters using origami paper. The activity concluded with a collaborative storytelling session in which the characters were woven into a shared narrative, turning the workshop into a participatory learning experience. The second session focused on book cover design, where children were encouraged to imagine and illustrate their own covers for selected children’s books published by National Book Trust, India. The exercise aimed to stimulate creativity and visual interpretation of stories.
Another interactive session invited children to design a mascot for the Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya app. The activity generated considerable enthusiasm, with children later interacting with the official mascot, adding an element of excitement to the programme. The Activity Zone at the venue remained active throughout the day, allowing children to create doodles and artwork freely.
Alongside the daytime programmes, the Department of Art and Culture has been organising evening cultural performances at the venue. Classical, semi-classical and folk dance and music programmes were presented by cultural organisations including MJ Music Academy, Vikas Dance Academy and Event Musical Groups, drawing steady audiences during the evening hours.
The cultural calendar for the coming days includes poetry, music and interactive sessions. An evening dedicated to poetry, titled Kavya Sandhya, is scheduled to be held on February 21, featuring compositions by 12 noted and upcoming poets from the islands. Other programmes lined up include performances by police bands, folk and patriotic dances, classical dance recitals, storytelling competitions and sessions curated by National Book Trust, India involving discussions on literature, journalism and history.
The fair will continue with scheduled events until February 22, combining book exhibitions with cultural and educational programmes. The steady turnout and wide participation across age groups have positioned the Book Fair as a key cultural event in the city, reflecting sustained public interest in literature and the arts.
