Patna Book Fair 1990
PATNA BOOK 📖 FAIR 1990
INAUGURAL CEREMONY: 13TH NOVEMBER 4.00 pm
[ALL THAT YOU DO NOT KNOW]
Friends,
The success of the last Patna Book Fair held in 1988 is still fresh in our memories. Since then we have been constantly receiving letters of appreciation and congratulation with the suggestion of making this event an annual or biennial feature. Immediately after the conclusion of 1988 Patna Book Fair we had announced that we would be holding the next fair in 1990 standing from the 14th November, preparations for which are under way. Those who had participated in *1988 Patna Book Fair need not be told about the thunderous applause it received but those who didn’t participate; it was perhaps a matter of regret and it is now they who are more eager to inquire about the date of the next book fair. The dream of a strong united India amidst all its cultural diversities was so dear to the founding fathers of the nation which can be witnessed at the Patna Book Fair in the display of books 📚in different 📕 languages at one place that facilitate inter-cultural exchange forming the unshakable basis for national integration.
Arousal of national awareness and formation of an intergated perspective spurred by such activities would be the most positive contribution to the national well-being during the International Literacy Year. Indeed, books carry the message of unity amidst diversity in the most potent manner, for, the cultural heritage of our great country is best enshrined in our books sans the barriers of language, culture and creed. We are at the doorstep of the twenty first century. There is already an information explosion. Hundreds of thosand of books 📚 on multifarious subjects are being published everyday throughout the world 🌎.
The Organising/Working Committee of National Educational Festival cum Patna Book Fair has arranged this fair to acquaint the people in Bihar with the latest publications in different fields. It is hoped that this book fair will go a long way in dispelling the darkness of ignorance and backwardness through spreading the light of education in this State which has a glorious past of holding the torch of knowledge and wisdom by giving the world 🌎 the first International University at Nalanda. More than 300 participants all over the country representing thousand of publishers — both Indian and foreign — are expected to take part in the great event. The inaugural function will take place at 4.00 p.m. on the 13th November 1990 at the venue (Gandhi Maidan) of the fair. The Patna Book Fair is being organised especially in promoting literacy, book-mindedness and readership in Bihar at the historic Gandhi Maidan from the 14th to 25th November 1990. The CRD is a voluntary educational, cultural and social organisation formed by the leading academicians, reputed intellectuals, dedicated social workers, eminent journalists, celebrated educationists, development bureaucrats, senior executives and establish personnel of book industry.
During the International Literacy Year declared by the UNO we are organizing the 2nd Patna Book Fair from the 14th to 25th November 1990 on the lines of the last fair. The honorable ex-Chief Minister of Bihar, Dr Jagannath Mishra has very kindly consented to undertake the main responsibility and be the Chairman of Patna Book📚 Fair 1990. The inaugural ceremony of the fair will take place on the 13th November 1990 at 4 p.m. and the fair will open for general public from Children’s Day, that is, 14th November. The inaugural ceremony would be graced by the presence of distinguished guests including VIPs from other states too. This educational festival would be a tribute to national unity, awareness and literacy drive during the International Literacy Year. About 400 participants from all over the country representing thosands of publishers — both foreign and Indian — are expected to participate. In addition, it is also proposed to organise seminars, workshops, discussions, conferences, cultural activities and several functions for children which would make the event even more attractive. On the basis of the records of the 1988 Patna Book 📚 Fair, more than 25,000 people are expected to visit the fair this year every day apart from thousands manning the 400 stalls.
In our democratic set up where a lot of stress is being given on education and even the education policy has been reshaped to enable it to meet the challenge of the future. It is imperative that book 📚 fairs are given due importance which not only help in generating reading habits but ultimately contribute to socio-economic reforms. Reading habits do provide new knowledge, skills🎿 and ideas, and at the same time they promote effective way of thinking, create social/cultural awareness and inculcate moral values which are essential in the process of development. It is good to see that book📚 fair in India of late are becoming quite popular and are being held regularly in different parts of the country. But the manner in which the Patna Book 📚 Fair 1990 is being arranged is indeed extra-ordinary.
The importance appropriately attached to the Patna Book 📚 Fair will be evident from the fact that for the first time in the history of book industry a meeting in connection with 1988 Patna Book Fair was held in the Parliament House 🏠 under the chairmanship of a former Vice-President of India, Shri BD Jatti (Chief Patron: Patna Book Fair) who kindly consented to become Chairman of the book 📚 fair also. The meeting was also attended by the then Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shri LP Shahi. It was during this meeting that one of the former president of the Federation of Publishers and Booksellers Association in India expressed surprise and happiness over the holding of the meeting in a place like Parliament House 🏠 and hoped that the doors of the Parliament House would be kept open for other fairs too — mainly the World 🌍 Book 📚 Fair which is held in Delhi. This implies that 1988 Patna Book Fair has shown the way. It was indeed something unique but we were bent upon to organise the first fair in a unique way. We would ensure that the 1990 Patna Book Fair would be yet another milestone. But how appropriate it would have been if the first World Book Fair in India would have been held in Bihar as a tribute to the land of Nalanda in which the world 🌍 got the first international university.
The objective of Patna Book Fair is manifold- to popularise books 📚 in Hindi, English and regional languages amongst the people of Bihar, to provide them an opportunity to seek new horizons of knowledge, and to generate reading habits. For a systematic growth of children it is essential that they are given the opportunity of reading books 📚 of general interest apart from conventional ones. Unfortunately there are not too many good bookshops in Bihar where one can find a wide range of good and useful books of general interest, though textbooks, guides and notes are available in plenty. This is despite the fact that there is no dearth of booklovers in Bihar. Considering the fact that there are thirteen universities in Bihar, equal number of medical colleges, two agricultural universities, several engineering colleges, hundreds of degree colleges and public schools🏫. Bihar provides ample opportunities to the publishing world 🌎. But a gap is always felt between the demand and availability of relevant books in local market.
This book fair, besides the above, would also help in activating the local trade once the demand has been assessed through the opportunity provided by the fair. Furthermore, in view of Patna’s ideal geographical location, the fair is bound to attract people from the whole of North-east India, Sikkim, Bhutan, North Bengal, Eastern UP and Nepal and ultimately Patna would become a feeding point for all such customers which at present are being fed from Calcutta and Delhi. Patna Book Fair also provide a meeting platform to publishers/authord and customers when both are looking for each other as well as for intellectuals, journalists, academicians, politicians and men of varied interests.
Over five million people visited the historic event of 1988 which included many intellectuals, social workers and VIPs of national/international repute within a very short period of ten days. The public response was to be seen to be followed. The fair included conferences, discussions, seminars, workshops, cultural functions besides several programmes for children. Almost all the states were represented by the participants at the fair while an equal number of visitors from the states graced the venue. *Compared to the World 🌍 Book Fair and National Book Fair being organised by the Government undertaking, namely National Book Trust, India, 1988 PATNA BOOK 📚 FAIR excelled as far as the over-all arrangements, immaculate management and the number of visitors are concerned in very adverse situation. The rush of the visitors on the closing day — 23rd November 1988 — was so great that every inch of 5 lac sq ft of the venue was jampacked. This was one maiden attempt for which we laboured hard. We have every desire not only to repeat the performance but to excel it given your able guidance, co-operation and active participation.
While by giving a slogan ‘A book is a beacon of light हर पुस्तक एक मशाल है’ on ex-PM multi-coloured portraits in his own initial the then Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi honoured the people of book industry, the then Soviet Premier who happened to be in India during that period gave his reaction by calling it one of the most successful fairs ever organised in the world 🌎. The press coverage of Bihar’s newspapers and magazines had no parallel. A special column was allotted by the newspapers- in particular The Hindustan Times (English/Hindi) and Aaj (Hindi) for day to day coverage and reporting of this historic event for the State of Bihar. The leading newspapers National Herald, The Hindustan Times and The Times of India had even participated in the fair making the event still more attractive. Special supplements were brought out by the three leading newspapers– The Hindustan Times, The Times of India and Aaj (Hindi). The Voice of America broadcast a 15-minute special programme on the closing day — 23rd November 1988 — of the event. The All India Radio, Patna also co-operated in a big way by giving special programmes every day at regional level. We simply do not find words to narrate the whole event of Patna Book Fair 1988. The scale of publicity this year is expected to be still much larger.
Judging from the past records, the 1990 Patna Book Fair should be a tremendous success in as far as its overwhelming response can be foreseen. It has already generated a lot of enthusiasm amongst the participants and the booklovers even at this initial stage. Its success should surely bring laurels to the state and perhaps even become a regular feature for the state of Bihar. To provide its easy accessibility to remote, backward and tribal areas of Bihar, we intend to organise such book fairs at district towns also so that almost entire population of the state can benefit from this.
We are out of create history again by holding the show during International Literacy Year. While thanking all the well-wishers, colleagues and participants of the 1988 Patna Book 📚 Fair, the undersigned once again extends heartiest invitation to you to come over to Patna and join us in this noble effort.
For the success of this endeavour we seek your blessings, guidance and a piece of advice which may help us in making this event yet another milestone. We hope you would accede to our kind request. We need not tell you that this is your fair.
NK JHA
(FOUNDER: PATNA BOOK FAIR
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