NEW DELHI, February 1. /TASS/. The World Book Fair is kicking off in the Indian capital of New Delhi on February 1.
According to the organizers, over 50 countries will participate in the event. Russia has been invited as the focus country.
Russia’s exhibition stand covering 200 square meters will feature some 1,500 books provided by 50 publishing houses and three museums, namely the Moscow Transport Museum, the State Tretyakov Gallery and the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts. Film screenings, meetings with writers and other events will be held. Russia’s delegation includes famous authors such as Yevgeny Vodolazkin, Alexey Varlamov, Dmitry Bak and Sergey Shargunov, as well as aspiring writers.
According to Alexey Varlamov, director of the Gorky Literature Institute and head of the delegation, Russia sees its presence in India as very important. "We are aware of the profound interest that the Indian people have in Russian culture and literature. The fact that Russia is the focus country this year is especially significant because 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War," he told TASS.
Yuvraj Malik, director of the National Book Trust of India, which is the main organizer of the book fair, expects the event to open a new chapter in the history of ties between the two counties’ literary circles and publishers. "Indian readers have been interested in Russian literature, philosophy, and thought for many decades. Literary stalwarts like Tolstoy, Maxim Gorky or Pushkin are actually household names as their works have been translated into almost all major Indian languages. The Russian participation in New Delhi World Book Fair 2025 will further this long-cherished literary ties in a more institutionalized manner," Malik pointed out.
The annual World Book Fair has been taking place in New Delhi for over 50 years. This year, the event brings together over 2,000 publishers. According to Malik, over 1,000 writers, authors and lecturers will participate; over 600 literary and more than 200 cultural events will take place.
The book fair will run until February 9.