17th Delhi Book Fair 2011 draws huge audience

Jumbo Editorial Team

The 17th Delhi Book Fair 2011, held from August 27 to September 4 at Pragati Maidan, lived up to its huge reputation, having drawn huge audience comprising of national and international publishers, librarians, researchers, academicians, literary agents, students and general public.

As usual, many of the industry leaders participated in the mega event that included publishers, booksellers, wholesalers and distributors. There was also the presence of periodicals and magazines besides manufacturers and dealers of teaching aids and computer software.

The Delhi Book Fair has established itself as a gateway to the Indian book publishing industry. An eagerly awaited exposition, it continues to offer a sales forum and a meeting place for publishers, booksellers, authors, translators and book-lovers of all age group.

It has evolved over the years as a highly popular conduit to the world of books and publishers and distributors.

The number of visitors in the Fair has been estimated in lakhs from India and overseas. The ever increasing numbers of visitors and exhibitors is a testimony to its success. First held in 1995 it has established itself as an annual cultural event in the history of Delhi and showcases the progress made by Indian publishing industry over the years.

The publishing industry in India has grown in leaps and bounds over the years. From modest and ancient beginnings it has transformed into a vast and complex industry.

With more than 16,000 publishing houses generating content in more than 24 regional languages, around 90,000 titles are reportedly being published every year.

Currently Indian publishing is regarded as one of the greatest in the world and can be counted among the first seven publishing nations. They are believed to be the third largest publishers of English language Books after the US and UK.