The second edition of Krithi International Book Festival concluded here on Sunday with Minister Kadakampally Surendran announcing that the next edition of the festival would be held on February 6, 2020.
He said that Kerala had embraced the book festival with a big heart despite the devastating floods in mid-August 2018. “Krithi had turned into an emotion over the past two years,” the Minister said.
He said that the festival had also helped in the rebuilding efforts of the State.
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There were 248 stalls in which 136 publishers exhibited and sold their books.
More than 175 writers and experts on various subjects delivered lectures at the festival. These were spread over a total of 70 sessions.
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General convener S. Ramesan said books worth crores of rupees were sold at the festival organized at the scenic Marine Drive.
Coupons worth ₹1.18 crore were distributed among school students to help them buy books at the festival.
The money for this was raised from Cochin Shipyard’s corporate social responsibility fund, said a press release.
Flood-hit libraries were given coupons to buy books worth ₹10 lakh.
Society slammed
“Ours is a society that looks at discrimination as part of its dharma rather than as a crime,” said social critic Sunny M. Kapikkad. Speaking at the book festival, he said that the concept of social divisions in India should be be subjected to criticism. Mr. Kapikad said society thinks that people are by birth not equals. The general belief is that divisions and discriminations are God-made.
K.E.N. Kunjahammed and V.K. Prasad were among those who spoke.