After Durga Puja, the International Kolkata Book Fair is the largest celebration in our state. The 49th International Kolkata Book Fair is scheduled to take place from January 22 to February 3, 2026. The Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal, Smt. Mamata Banerjee will inaugurate the fair, much as in previous years. Prominent writers, poets, and academics will attend the inauguration as honored guests. The location is Boimela Prangan, Karunamoyee, Salt Lake.

Sudhangshu Sekhar Dey, President, Guild, Ms Anandi Queipo Riavitz, Chief of the Consular Section, Raju Barman, Treasurer, Guild, Sudipta Dey, Executive Committee Member, Tridib Kr. Chatterjee, Hony. General Secretary, Guild, Esha Chatterjee, Executive Committee Member, Mr. Andres Sebastian Rojas, Counsellor, Subhankar Dey, Executive Committee Member, Shiladitya Sarkar, Member Guild, and others graced the press conference.

The largest non-trade book festival in the world is the International Kolkata Book Fair. The book fair was attended by 27 lakh book enthusiasts in 2025, and book sales totaled Rs 23 crores.

The fairground’s size hasn’t changed, but they were able to add a few more stalls last year. However, they won’t be able to add more stalls this year.

Argentina, a nation with strong ties to India, particularly Bengal, will be the Focal Theme Country at the International Kolkata Book Fair 2026 for the first time in the event’s history.

The International Kolkata Book Fair will celebrate its Golden Jubilee in 2027. Photographers who covered the Kolkata Book Fair between 1976 and 1996 can share their best images from their collections. There will be prizes for the top ten unique and sentimental photos. The chosen photos will also be on display at the 2026 Press Corner. Additionally, they plan to include those photos in the IKBF’s 50th anniversary souvenir. Photographers have until December 10, 2025, to submit their famous images to the guild office.

The forthcoming book fair will have participation from the United States, Great Britain, Germany, Australia, France, Spain, Peru, Colombia, Japan, Thailand, and other Latin American nations, as it does every year. Other Indian states, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bihar, Assam, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Odisha, Tripura, etc., will also have publications. The Children’s Pavilion, the Little Magazine Pavilion, and other similar attractions will be present as usual.

The Kolkata Literature Festival, KLF, will be held on 24 and 25 January 2026.

A great festival at the start of the year indeed.

Priyanka Dutta