Offering insights into publishing in Saudi Arabia, Dr. Abdullatif Alwasel, Publishing General Manager at The Literature, Publishing, & Translation Commission, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, presented on ‘The Book Market in Saudi Arabia,’ at the CEOSpeak focusing on the exchange of ideas through Saudi Arabian and Indian literature to strengthen intellectual bonds between the two nations.
The Publishing Conference – CEOSpeak – hosted by the National Book Trust, India, provided a platform to deliberate on crucial aspects of the publishing industry, with a particular focus on the multilingual landscape and integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Nadim Sadek, author and Founder of Shimmer AI, presented a keynote address on the implications and opportunities for the publishing sector with AI. He also touched on AI’s transformative potential for revolutionizing education, citizenship, health, and wealth. Mr. Dinesh Kulatunga from Sri Lanka, Claudia Kaiser from Germany, Pulkit Tiwari, and Sunil Thomas from India also shared their perspectives on AI and publishing during the panel discussion.
Summing up the session, Mr. Yuvraj Malik, Director of NBT-India, discussed the role and uses of AI in the business expansion of the publishing industry across nations. He said, “Data is the new currency, but it requires a human touch of intelligence”.
Italy-India Illustrators’ Exchange Forum
The New Delhi World Book Festival 2024 hosted well-known Italian artists at Italy-India Illustrators Exchange Forum, for a cross-cultural exchange between Indian Illustrators to showcase their artistic contributions. The forum offered an array of workshops, sessions, and portfolio reviews by renowned artists such as Ivan Canu, Elisa Macellari, Sophie Benini etc.
These sessions, alongside unique workshops on portrait creation and interpretation, offered deep dives into the creative and professional nuances of illustration. The forum also served as an opportunity for the publishing houses to exchange licenses for illustrations and art works.
The Indian artists such as Mohit Suneja, Neeta Gangopadhya, Ajanta Guha, Mistunee and Mitrarun Halder participated and collaborated on the projects.
Books for All Diversity and Inclusivity was the essence of the recently concluded New Delhi World Book Fair where Braille books were distributed for free to persons with visual disabilities. Also a dedicated section was set up for the large font books, tactile books, e books and audio books. Showcasing ‘Multilingual India: A Living Tradition (Bahubhashi Bharat: Ek Jeevant Parampara)’, New Delhi World Book Fair 2024 celebrated the rich tapestry of Indian languages woven into the cultural fabric of our nation. The 32nd edition of the New Delhi World Book Fair concluded with a resounding success, drawing over 1.5 million visitors and facilitating more than 1000 B2B sessions, along with exchanges of copyrights and licenses. The fairgrounds buzzed with excitement as millions of book lovers immersed themselves in browsing books, attending author sessions, engaging in children’s activities, and enjoying power-packed cultural performances.
Announcing the next edition of the New Delhi World Book Fair, scheduled to be held from 1-9 February 2025, Prof. Milind Sudhakar Marathe, Chairman of the National Book Trust India, expressed happiness at the success of the New Delhi World Book Fair 2024.
He conveyed his gratitude to all the readers, publishers, co-organizers, and media, stating, “We are confident that more publishers and readers will participate next year, further strengthening the global identity of the Indian publishing industry.”
Festival of Festivals (FoF): A Platform for Literature Festivals
The New Delhi World Book Fair (NDWBF) 2024 witnessed a ground-breaking addition to its lineup of events: the Festival of Festivals (FoF). Spearheaded by the National Book Trust, India, (FoF) provided a stage for upcoming book festivals across India to showcase their works, fostering a vibrant exchange of ideas within the literary community. The inaugural edition featured over 100 speakers from renowned festivals such as Ahmedabad Lit Fest, Cine Durbar, Bharat Lit Fest, Pragati E Vichar Lit Fest, The Great Indian Book Tour, and Solh Talks, reflecting the richness and diversity of India’s literary landscape.
Under the Festival of Festivals, organizers of the New Delhi World Book Fair, National Book Trust India, offer a stage to organize literary sessions along with branding opportunities and on-site logistics support. Mr. Yuvraj Malik, Director of National Book Trust India, who conceptualized Festival of Festivals, elaborated, “By uniting diverse voices and celebrating the written word and artistic expression, FoF exemplifies our collective endeavor to cultivate a vibrant culture of reading and books. As FoF continues to grow and evolve, it reaffirms our dedication to nurturing a dynamic literary ecosystem and fostering a sense of unity within the literary community.”
Hon’ble President Smt. Droupadi Murmu interacts with PM YUVA Authors
On the sidelines of the New Delhi World Book Fair, an interactive session of the PM-YUVA authors with the Honorable President of India, was organized by National Book Trust, India at Rashtrapati Bhavan. While interacting with 55 PM-YUVA 1.0 authors and 37 PM-YUVA 2.0 authors, the Honorable President expressed her happiness that through this project not only young talents but also Indian languages are being promoted.
The PM YUVA scheme of the Ministry of Education, Government of India, with NBT-India as the implementing agency, aims to cultivate a pool of authors under the age of 30, empowering them to articulate their thoughts and represent India on the global stage. By fostering proficiency in various literary genres, such as fiction, non-fiction, travelogues, memoirs, and drama, it will showcase Indian culture and literature to the world. The initiative seeks to elevate reading and authorship as viable career paths, encouraging young Indians to prioritize reading and knowledge acquisition.
