The 49th International Kolkata Book Fair will be inaugurated on 22 January 2026 at 4 pm at the Boimela Prangan, Salt Lake, by Hon’ble Chief Minister Smt. Mamata Banerjee. The event will be graced by Mr Gustavo Canzobre, eminent author of Argentina, H.E. Mr Mariano Agustin Caucino, Ambassador of Argentina in India, as Special Guests of Honour, along with our authors, dignitaries, and Hon’ble Ministers of our state.

 Listed below are the highlights of this year’s International Kolkata Book Fair:

• The IKBF 2026 will have more than a thousand participants.
• On January 30, they will commemorate Chiro Tarun, Senior Citizens’ Day. On February 1st, 2026, Children’s Day will be observed.
• The IKBF will have nine entry and exit gates. There will be two gates designed in the architectural style of Argentina. Gates in the names of Prafulla Roy and Pratul Mukhopadhyay, who departed from us recently, will be present. Another gate will be named in honor of Sailajananda Mukhopadhyay, who was born 125 years ago. Rahul Purakaystha, a poet, will be honored with the name of the Little Magazine pavilion. To celebrate the centennial of his birth, a Mayukh Chowdhury Children’s Pavilion will be built.
• Salil Chowdhury, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika’s centennial will be commemorated at the Book Fair on January 26 and 27, respectively, with a cultural program and panel discussion.
• For the first time, the Book Fair’s location will have direct Metro access from Howrah to Central Park and Karunamoyee via Esplanade. Because of this, a large number of book enthusiasts from Howrah, Kolkata, and other areas will use the Metro to get to the Book Fair location. The Metro Railway authorities have agreed to enhance the frequency of the Metro Service in response to our request. On all Fair days, the final Metro will be accessible at approximately 10 p.m. Additionally, there will be a specific booth during the fair where attendees may purchase tickets using UPI.
• Sister Nivedita University developed the International Kolkata Book Fair 2026 Android app, which uses Google location to find any stand in the fair. Additionally, the Book Fair’s website and social media pages will provide a virtual live presence for the IKBF 2026. Their digital partner is Sister Nivedita University.
• All book fair entry points will include a digital ground map with the IKBF 2026 participant list that can be accessed by scanning a QR code.
• Peerless Hospitex Hospital and Research Centre Limited, the IKBF 2026 Health Partner, will provide a specific medical aid service with an ambulance.
• Book Fair 2026’s exclusive broadband partner will be Meghbela Broadband.
• The International Kolkata Book Fair 2026 would feature participation from about 20 countries worldwide.
• “Buy books and win a Library”: Book gift coupons will be awarded to the winners of the daily lottery.

The 12th edition of the Kolkata Literature Festival, which will take place in the SBI auditorium on January 24 and 25, 2026, is the main event of the International Kolkata Book Fair.

Priyanka Dutta