Chennai Book Fair

Chennai Book Fair or Madras Book Fair is an annual book fair organized in the Chennai, India by the Booksellers and Publishers Association of South India (BAPASI). The fair typically lasts for about 10 days during the New Year-Pongal season. The fair is usually held between the last week of December and the third week of January.^[1]

The Chennai Book Fair is the biggest book fairs in the country with almost all major publishers of India participating in it. Some of the regular participants include Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Pustak Mahal, Higginbotham's, Orient Longman, Macmillan Publishers, Tata McGraw-Hill, S. Chand and Co., India Book House, British Council, The Hindu and Asian Educational Services and Major Tamil Books Publishing House are Saiva Siddantha Kazhagam Publishing House,Tamil Puthgalayam,Paari Nilayam,Vanathi Pathippagam, Thirumagal Nialayam,Ainthinai Pathippagam,The Alliance, Prema Pirasuram, Narmadha Pathippagam, Nakkeran Pathippagam, Sura Books, Kavitha Pathippagam, Uma Pathippagam, Sri Indu Publications, Poongodi Pathippagam, Kaalachuvadu, Bharathi Puthkalayam, Kannadasan Pathippagam,Arunodhayam, Palaniappa Publication, Sree Shenbaga Pathippagam, Periyar Self Respect, Sri Ramakrishna Matt, ISCKON, Thamarai Noolagam, Universal Publisher etc., . The 2009 fair has over 600 stalls representing most major publishing companies in India and was held between January 8 and January 18, 2009.

The Chennai Book Fair is considered to be one of the biggest events in the Chennai cultural calendar along with the Chennai music season.

History

The 1st Madras Book Fair was organized in Madras between December 14 and December 24, 1977 by The Booksellers and Publishers Association of South India(BAPASI), an association with major publishing companies of Tamil Nadu especially Madras & South India.^[2][3][4] The 1st Madras Book Fair had 22 stalls and was held at the Madrasa-I-Azam school.^[4] The first six book fairs were successful mainly due to the efforts of K. V. Mathew of BI Publications who was responsible for the growth of the book fair in its early years.^[4] Mr.Mathew has also organized an annual book fair for students.^[4] The Student Book Fair, however, hasn't been as successful as the Chennai Book Fair.^[4]

The first four editions of the book fair were held in the Madrasa-I-Azam school. In 1981, the book fair moved to the YMCA grounds in Royapettah, Chennai. The 1982 edition was organized at the Drive-In restaurant. The book fairs gradually rose in popularity. At the 12th Madras Book Fair held between December 22, 1989 and January 1, 1990, Tamil translations of WHO publications were put on sale.^[5] The success of the Chennai Book Fair prompted BAPASI to start similar book fairs at Udagamandalam, Thiruvananthapuram, Pondicherry and Tiruchirapalli.

The early editions were held in the last weeks of December and ended in the first week of January in order to coincide with the Christmas-New Year holidays. However, in the late nineties, the fair was moved to mid-January to coincide with the Pongal festive season.

Recent editions

The 24th Chennai Book Fair experienced a spurt in the number of Tamil language publishers the majao role played by the then President Chandrasekar Higginbothams, Secretary Alliance Sreenivasan and the then committee members. Of the 180 publication houses who participated in the book fair, 80 were Tamil publication houses, a remarkable increase since the 23rd fair in which there was only one stall devoted to Tamil publications.^[6] The book fair celebrated its silver jubilee in 2002 coinciding with the 50th anniversary celebrations of BAPASI. The fair was held for 15 days instead of the usual 11-day affair.^[7] The 26th book fair was held between January 9 and January 19, 2003 and had a total of about 272 stalls.^[8] 300,000 people visited the 26th book fair.^[9] The revenue was estimated to over Rs. 6 crores.^[9] The 27th book fair, inaugurated by the then Tamil Nadu Education Minister N. Semmalai and held between January 9 and January 19, 2004, had over 310 stalls, including 10 stalls allotted for state government departments, with over 200 publishers from all over India participating in it.^[9] The 28th book fair was inaugurated by Chennai mayor S. P. Thiagarajan on January 7, 2005.^[10][11] The 29th book fair was inaugurated on January 6, 2006 by K. Kalimthu, Speaker of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and was made of 375 stalls. The fair lasted till the 16th of January.^[12] In 2007, due to traffic congestion and the need for more space for the stalls,^[13] the venue for the annual book fair was changed from Quaid-e-Milleth Women's College to St. George' School in Kilpauk.^[14] The 2007 book fair had a total of 474 stalls.^[13] and for the first time, featured works of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi, on an extensive scale.^[15] Over 600,000 people visited the 30th book fair.

32nd Chennai Book Fair, 2009

The 32nd Chennai Book Fair was inaugurated at St George's Anglo-Indian School, Poonamallee High Road, Chennai by former President of India Abdul Kalam on January 8, 2009.^[3][16] and lasted ten days.^[17] The 2009 edition had over 600 stalls^[18] and was attended by over one million people,^[17] amongst whom were Chennai historian S. Muthiah, businessman Nalli Kuppuswami Chetty and Gnani.^[18] Second-hand pavement shops outside the fair also did a good business.^[19] Book publishers made a cumulative sale of approximately rupees 7 crores.^[17]

Features

The Chennai Book Fair is considered to be one of the biggest events in the Chennai cultural calendar along with the Chennai music season.^[20] In addition to book stalls, there are food and refreshment stalls to serve the needs of hungry visitors. Regular debates, contests and speeches are held at the venue. In recent times, movie clippings of films of international renown are filmed at the venue of the fair. Annual awards to the best writer and the best publisher are given at the fair.^[21]

Notes

1. ^ Kamath, Rina (2000). Chennai. Orient Blackswan. pp. 105. ISBN 8125013784, ISBN 9788125013785. 
2. ^ "25th Chennai Book Fair 2002". World Health Organization. http://www.searo.who.int/EN/Section1243/Section1256/Section1541_6093.htm. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Films, fun and contests for kids at annual book fair". Times of India. January 7, 2009. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chennai/Films_fun_and_contests_for_kids_at_annual_book_fair/articleshow/3944340.cms. 
4. ^ ^{a b c d e} Muthiah, S. (November 8, 2004). "60 years midst books". The Hindu (Chennai, India). http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/11/08/stories/2004110800230300.htm. 
5. ^ "Health Literature and Literary Services". WHO repository. World Health Organization. pp. 5. http://repository.searo.who.int/bitstream/123456789/5310/30/rdr90_HIS.pdf. 
6. ^ "80 Tamil publishers participated in Chennai Book Fair". The Hindu. January 7, 2001. http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/01/07/stories/0407401v.htm. 
7. ^ Kannan, Ramya (January 5, 2002). "Time to mark your books". The Hindu. http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2002/01/05/stories/2002010502050200.htm. 
8. ^ "The book season begins". The Hindu. January 9, 2003. http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2003/01/09/stories/2003010900960300.htm. 
9. ^ ^{a b c} "Chennai Book Fair from tomorrow". The Hindu. January 8, 2004. http://www.hinduonnet.com/2004/01/08/stories/2004010810760300.htm. 
10. ^ "In Chennai Today". The Hindu. January 7, 2005. http://www.hinduonnet.com/2005/01/07/stories/2005010715280300.htm. 
11. ^ "Thousands visit Chennai Book Fair". Times of India. January 17, 2005. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/992659.cms. 
12. ^ G. M. Fatima Imamuddin (2006). "29th Chennai Book Fair". Chennai Online. http://archives.chennaionline.com/education/Books/2006/01bookfair.asp. Retrieved 2009-01-12. 
13. ^ ^{a b} "Chennai Book Fair has new venue". The Hindu (Chennai, India). January 4, 2007. http://www.hindu.com/2007/01/04/stories/2007010407110600.htm. 
14. ^ Malarvizhi, J. (December 12, 2006). "Venue of annual book fair changed". The Hindu (Chennai, India). http://www.hindu.com/2006/12/12/stories/2006121213310200.htm. 
15. ^ Malarvizhi, J. (January 12, 2007). "Book fair features stall with Chief Minister's works". The Hindu. http://www.hinduonnet.com/2007/01/12/stories/2007011215850200.htm. 
16. ^ "Kalam to inaugurate Chennai Book Fair on Thursday". The Hindu (Chennai, India). January 6, 2009. http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/06/stories/2009010658070200.htm. 
17. ^ ^{a b c} Sujatha, R.; K. Laskhmi (January 19, 2009). "Fair crowds, well! books still need more readers city pulse". The Hindu (Chennai, India). http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/19/stories/2009011958580300.htm. 
18. ^ ^{a b} "600 stalls present a sea of books to pick and cherish". The Hindu (Chennai, India). January 9, 2009. http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/09/stories/2009010957390200.htm. 
19. ^ "Nothing stalls pavement sales". The Hindu (Chennai, India). January 20, 2009. http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/20/stories/2009012052440300.htm. 
20. ^ Krishnamachari, Suganthy (January 17, 2002). "Volumes of wisdom and fun too". The Hindu (Chennai, India). http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/01/17/stories/2002011700210400.htm. 
21. ^ "Book extravaganza kicks off". The Hindu (Chennai, India). January 8, 2005. http://www.hindu.com/2005/01/08/stories/2005010813910300.htm. 

External links

• Official Website