Patna Book Fair 2026: A New Chapter in Literary Legacy and Cultural Dialogue

Patna literary festival 2026

The 42nd edition of the National Literary (Educational) Festival. Patna Book 📚 Fair will run for twelve days in December, 2026.

It is a new chapter by expanding Patna Book Fair’s horizons especially for entry/exit to the historic gate no. 10 of Gandhi Maidan (Patna ) infront of Ram Ghulam Chowk beside Reserve Bank 🏦 of India every year now. This transition is more than a change of scene; it is no embrace of one of Bihar’s most significant heritage landmarks, reflecting our long-standing commitment to hosting intellectual discourse in spaces with a soul. The Patna Book 📚 Fair has always celebrated landmarks their landmaks. The festival will see key commemorations this year, including dedicated sessions on pioneering writers, activists and veteran filmmakers every day during the period of Patna Book Fair 2026.

Today,when conversations around dissent, freedom of expression, and the role of intellectuals are central, some writers (e.g. Vidyakar Kavi, Nagarjun, Renu, Dinkar, Govind Jha, Usha Kiran Khan etc) stands as an example of how literature can challenge power structures and provoke moral introspection. Their work also holds significance for contemporary readers because of its fearless honesty. They encourage readers and writers alike to question privilege, to listen to silenced histories, and to believe that literature is a tool for change. The festival’s commemmoration, a centennial tributes to some writers, is therefore a living engagement with their ideas from a panel of women/men achievers who have faced challenges in their chosen field of work, brought an exceptional sensitivity to popular cinema, using music both as ornamentation and as a narrative force. The session will explore the emotional honesty that maked both his life and his art, remembering him as a storyteller who trusted feeling as much as craft. In doing so, the tribute seeks to reaffirm convener’s relevance today, whose legacy continues to inspire conversations around form, emotion, and the enduring power of CRD. This session will be hosted on the final day of the festival.

Dedicated sessions on queer-literature, alternative sexualities and in the spectrum of lived experiences sum up convener this year. The highlight included a conversation between convener and founder, that will ficus on the importance and challenges documenting the queer experience in contemporary India. Other sessions onclude a panel dedicated to the queer novel and one on polyamory and alternative relationship choices.

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Narendra Kumar Jha

Narendra Kumar Jha, the founder of Patna Book Fair, is a passionate advocate of books, ideas and public discourse. At a time when large-scale literary platforms were rare in the region, he envisioned and established the Patna Book Fair—truly ahead of his time. With a Master’s degree in Sociology and a degree in Law, he combines intellectual depth with real-world insight. He is the Founding Editor of PLJR (Patna Law Journal Reports) and Chairman of Novelty & Company, a leading publishing house in Patna. Through his blogs, he shares reflections on the vision and journey of the Patna Book Fair. At 81, he remains strikingly energetic—guided by discipline, a simple yogi-like diet, and a level of fitness that could easily rival those much younger.