Chief Minister Inaugurates ‘Ahmedabad International Book Festival 2024’ at Sabarmati Riverfront

Gandhinagar : Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel inaugurated ‘Ahmedabad International Book Festival-2024’ at the Ahmedabad Riverfront Event Center, Paldi. The event was organized by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Government of India, and the National Book Trust.

The Chief Minister purchased several books, including Mother of Democracy – India, Ved Kalpataru, Samuhik Hit Ka Deep Jale (Mann Ki Baat @100), and Exam Warriors by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, through digital payment. The CM also presented Exam Warriors to children and awarded ‘Panch Vachan for a Prosperous India’ certificates to students from Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation schools.

On this occasion, Ahmedabad City Mayor Smt. Pratibha Jain, city MLAs Shri Amit Shah, Shri Harshad Patel, Shri Jitubhai Patel, Shri Amit Thakar, and Shri Amul Bhatt, along with Deputy Mayor Shri Jatin Patel, Standing Committee Chairman Shri Devang Dani, Municipal Commissioner Shri M. Thennarasan, Gujarat Sahitya Akademi Chairman Shri Bhayesh Jha, National Book Trust Chairman Shri Milindji, Municipal Corporation officials, and a large gathering of book lovers, were present. 

It is significant to note that with the vision of nurturing intellectual competence in the next generation and strengthening society through the promotion of reading and literature, the then Chief Minister of Gujarat and current Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, launched ‘Vanche Gujarat’ Abhiyan. Aligning with this initiative, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has organised the “Ahmedabad National Book Fair” for the past 12 years. Each edition of the fair has garnered an exceptional response from book lovers and literature enthusiasts across Gujarat, including Ahmedabad.

To elevate Ahmedabad’s heritage on the global stage of literature and book publishing, the ‘Ahmedabad International Book Festival’ will be held from November 30 to December 8 at the Riverfront Event Center, Paldi, under the Vanche Gujarat 2.0 initiative. With the collaboration of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, the Ministry of Education, Government of India, and the National Book Trust, the Ahmedabad National Book Fair is being rebranded for the first time as the ‘Ahmedabad International Book Festival’.

With over 100 literary programs, more than 300 publisher stalls, and books from over 1,000 publishers, the festival will be a key destination for book lovers and literature enthusiasts from across Gujarat and beyond. It will also feature engaging attractions like the Author Forum, Pragya Shibir, Gyan Ganga, Rangmanch, and Abhikalp, offering a rich cultural experience for all visitors.

The Ahmedabad International Book Festival will host speakers from countries including Spain, Sri Lanka, Poland, Denmark, Scotland, Singapore, UAE, and celebrated Gujarati authors. Renowned dignitaries such as Padma Shri Raghuvir Chaudhary, Padma Shri Kumarpal Desai, Padma Shri Jagdish Trivedi, Padma Shri Shahbuddin Rathod, Monika Halan, Ram Mori, E.V. Ramakrishnan, Saurabh Bajaj, William Dalrymple, Guillermo Rodríguez Martín, Monica Kovalesco-Sumovska, and Matt Johnson will share insights on a range of literary topics.

Entry is free for all visitors, with prior registration required. To register and access various literary and cultural programs at the Book Festival, visit https://forms.gle/craAgWAgEJRHhPcb7.

Source: Information Department, Gujarat