Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the Krithi International Book Festival, the first edition of what is being planned as an annual event, on Marine Drive on March 1.
The event is being planned as a “grand annual event” by the State government, said a press release here.
Minister for Cooperation, Tourism and Devaswom Kadakampally Surendran said that the book festival would be held in a 425x100-foot fully air-conditioned hall on Marine Drive. The 10-day mega event is being organised by Sahithya Pravarthaka Co-operative Society (SPCS), founded in 1945.
The inaugural day functions will start at 5 p.m. with the presentation of Kerala’s traditional dance forms by Dharani Kochi. It will be followed by the inaugural session to be presided over by the Minister. M.T. Vasudevan Nair and M.K. Sanu, Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, Mayor Soumini Jain and former Minister M.A. Baby will be present.
Mr. Surendran said 80 publishers from various parts of the world would participated in the fair. Coupons distributed as part of the ‘A Book for Every Child’ scheme could be redeemed at the festival stalls.
There would also be various artistic performances on the sidelines. Artistes including Kalamandalam Gopi, Usha Nangiar, M. Chandrasekharan, T.M. Krishna, and Debanjan Chatterjee would be performing.
The Minister said that the Krithi Literary Festival would be held from March 6 to 10 at the Bolghatty Palace.
