Kolkata, Dec 21 (PTI) An estimated 1,000 big and small stalls will come up at the 47th International Kolkata Book Fair, billed as the biggest in the world in terms of crowd turnout, organisers Publishers and Booksellers Guild said on Thursday.

The book fair will be held from January 18 to 31.

Also Read | AAI Recruitment 2023: Vacancies Notified For 119 Junior and Senior Assistant Posts, Know How to Apply at aai.aero.

“Around 1,000 stalls will come up at the book fair this year. The figure is more than that of last year. It is also expected that the sales figure will also cross last year's,” Guild General Secretary Tridib Chatterjee said.

Last year, 2.6 million people visited the fair and books worth Rs 25 crore were sold.

Also Read | APPSC Recruitment 2023: Vacancies Notified for 897 Posts of Group 2 Services, Apply Online at psc.ap.gov.in.

“The crowd turnout was the highest in any global book fair and the sales figure was the highest in Kolkata book fair's history,” Chatterjee said.

He said that to encourage reading habits, a lucky draw will be held on all the days of the fair and 15 winners will get gift coupons which can be redeemed at the stalls of the fair.

The United States, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain, Australia, Bangladesh, Thailand, Argentina, Cuba, Peru and other Latin American countries will participate in the book fair, Chatterjee said.

On January 24, the book fair will observe 'Senior Citizen's Day' during which three elderly figures – a writer, a publisher and a reader – will be felicitated.

The 10th edition of the Kolkata Literature Festival, an integral part of the book fair, will be held from January 26 to 28 in the presence of eminent literary personalities and celebrities from India and abroad, who will join in various interactive sessions.

Chatterjee said six prominent authors from the UK will attend the book fair. He, however, did not divulge their names.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)