New Delhi World Book Fair 2026 Highlights Reading Culture In India

The New Delhi World Book Fair 2026 came to a grand conclusion today, marking a milestone in India’s growing international cultural presence. The book fair, started on January 10, transformed the National Capital into a vibrant crossroads of ideas, stories and global dialogue.

 

The event witnessed the presence of prominent leaders, including Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah and Union Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, who visited the pavilions and interacted with publishers, authors and readers. The Home Minister visited the ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Operation Sindoor’ Pavilion and distributed copies of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's ‘Anand Math’ to children.

 

Yuvraj Malik, Director of National Book Trust, said: “It’s so heartening to see thousands and New

thousands of people turning up here—around two million in footfall over the last nine days. I think we can proudly say that we have been able to bring people closer to books, literature, art, culture, and festivity around content. The way people are buying books is encouraging; it shows that the reading culture is being revived. It is a myth that the younger generation and Gen Z are stuck to their handsets. After seeing people buying books here, it is clear that they are not too attached to their gadgets. They have a very deep desire to read, and we need to present books to them in a meaningful way and in the right perspective. People are willing to read.”

 

“We would like to bring more platform for young authors. We are surprised to see hundreds of young authors, first-time authors, school children who are authors. So, we'll definitely create a children author platform for such upcoming young authors,” added Malik. 

 

The final day witnessed overwhelming participation in various activities, including book launches, panel discussions and interactive sessions with authors. A special attraction was the Kavi Sammelan organised by the Rekhta Foundation, which drew large crowds and added a poetic flourish to the concluding celebrations.

 

The series of book launches and discussions continued even on the concluding day with the launch of the book The Human Edge in an AI-Driven Cyber World, authored by Nitin Seth, co-founder and CEO of Incedo Inc., a payment platform.

 

“AI is not just a technological change but a significant evolution in the human journey. Some believe that AI may possibly be humanity’s last major invention, but I am optimistic about the future. Undoubtedly, AI has significantly affected jobs, but I see it as a transformer that is opening new avenues for entrepreneurship. We should see it as an opportunity,” said Seth.

 

The event brought together over 50 countries, with Qatar participating as the Guest of Honour and Spain designated as the Focus Country, highlighting strong cross-cultural engagement. Spread across Halls 2 to 6, nearly 3,000 stalls were set up by more than 1,000 publishers from India and overseas. The fair celebrated linguistic diversity by presenting books in over 30 languages, including Hindi, English, and a wide range of Indian regional languages recognised under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. Complementing the physical exhibition, the digital library initiative, Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya, expanded access to literature by offering more than 6,000 eBooks in over 23 languages, while international pavilions showcased works in languages such as Arabic, Spanish, Russian, French, and Japanese.

 

Children-centric activities at the Bal Mandap continued to engage young minds through storytelling sessions, creative workshops and learning-based programmes, making the fair a family-friendly destination even on its last day.