The Vijayawada Book Festival Society (VBFS) is all set to organise its Silver Jubilee Book Festival at Swaraj Maidan here from January 1 to 11 with the focus on children’s literature. It has already made allotment of 240 stalls and enquiries are still pouring in with only 10 days remaining for the annual literary extravaganza to get underway.
Addressing media persons at the VBFS office here on Saturday, VBFS President D. Ashok Kumar and other office-bearers R. Rama Swamy, M.V. Narayana, K. Ravi, A. Rama Mohan Rao, B. Babjee, B. Ravi Kumar and J. Srinivas said the venue has been named after Hyderabad Book Trust founder C.K. Narayana Reddy and the main dais after Malati Chandur.
‘Walk for Books’The customary ‘Walk for Books’ will be organised from the Press Club at Gandhi Nagar to ‘C.K. Narayana Reddy Pranganam’. Birth centenaries of Kaloji Narayana Rao, Sankarambadi Sundarachari, Kodati Narayana Rao, Puttaparthi Narayanacharyulu, Jalasutram Rukmininatha Sastry, Vasireddy Bhaskara Rao, G.V. Krishna Rao and Sanjeev Dev will be celebrated. Visitors can interact with renowned writers in Meet the Author sessions.
Debate, elocution, essay-writing and quiz competitions for children to be conducted by National Centre for Children’s Literature (NCCL) from Jan 2 to 10 will be the most important component of the literary festival as children’s literature is the main theme.
SouvenirThe silver jubilee year souvenir titled ‘Aksharayatra’ comprising speeches of eminent writers and highlights of previous editions of the book festival will be released at the inaugural function on January 1. There will also be new book releases on all days.
Minister for Rural Development Dokka Manikya Vara Prasada Rao will inaugurate the event in the presence of District Collector M. Raghunandana Rao, former IAS officer R. Vaidyanath Iyer and other dignitaries.
The National Book Trust, Sahitya Akademi and All India Radio are also conducting various programmes. Tamil Nadu Governor K. Rosaiah has been invited to participate as the chief guest in the valedictory function to be held on Jan 11.
