INBOFA 2012, the first ever international book fair organized by Mahatma Gandhi University concluded here on Monday.
Inaugurating the valedictory session, noted historian Romila Thapar said that internet will not be a substitute for books. Internet is like street where you will have all assorted things. One should not be confused with the cluttering of information bits as knowledge, she said.
Asserting that the spiraling affinity for the internet sources in the new generation be discouraged, Prof Thapar said there was no short cut to gaining knowledge. She said the INBOFA 2012 was a unique experiment to bring in academic vibrancy through direct encounters with refreshingly new concepts, ideas, emerging branches of studies.
Vice chancellor Rajan Gurukkal, chaired the session. Pro vice chancellor Raja Varughese, syndicate member K M Seethi, senate member K Jayachandran and others spoke.
With the turnover during the 11 day academic carnival being put at over Rs. 4 crores, the experiment has turned out to be a huge success, it was pointed out. It attracted more than 35, 000 patrons during the 11 days.
The book fair had 130 stalls put up by more than 50 publishers including Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press India Pvt. Ltd., Orient Blackswan Pvt. Ltd., Kerala Sahitya Akademi, Kerala Bhasha Institute, S Chand and Co., Wiley India Pvt. Ltd and Current Books.
