CM Stalin inaugurates 49th Chennai book fair

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday inaugurated the 49th Chennai Book Fair at the Nandanam YMCA Grounds.
The book fair, organised by the Booksellers and Publishers Association of South India (BAPASI), will be held from January 8 to January 21.
The Chief Minister formally inaugurated the event by cutting the ribbon and later unveiled a statue of Thiruvalluvar installed at the venue.
The fair features a record 1,000 stalls set up across the sprawling grounds, making it one of the largest book fairs in the country.
Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, Health Minister M. Subramanian, and DMK MP Tamilachi Thangapandian were among those who attended the inauguration ceremony.
The book fair will be open to the public daily from 11 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. In a first, entry to the fair has been made free for all visitors.
This year’s edition includes 428 stalls dedicated to Tamil publications, 256 stalls for English books, and 24 general stalls.
A special pavilion has also been earmarked exclusively for Japanese language books, reflecting the fair’s expanding international reach.
Publishers from across India and abroad are participating in the event, which is expected to attract lakhs of readers, writers and students during the two-week period.