Pune to host nine-day book festival from December 16

Pune: Thousands of books in English and 10 regional languages will be up for grabs at the nine-day Pune Book Festival, which begins in the city on Saturday.

The National Book Trust, in collaboration with the Pune Municipal Corporation, is organising the festival on the premises of Fergusson College from December 16 to 24, coordinator for the event Rajesh Pande said.

As a prelude to the book festival, a unique storytelling event was organised at S P College on Thursday, where 3,066 parents read stories to their children, achieving the Guinness Book of World Records for "the largest reading activity", he said.

Another activity, 'Silence, Pune is reading', was held between 12 noon and 1 pm on Thursday, where teachers, students from various schools and colleges and employees from government offices and organisations participated.

Thousands of books in 10 Indian languages and English will be on display and available for sale at more than 200 stalls during the festival, Pande said.

Storytelling sessions, plays, musical events and other cultural and literary events will be organised, he said, adding that educational institutes will also be organising events to promote reading.

According to organisers, the book festival will be open to the public between 10.30 am and 8.30 pm from December 16 to December 24.