Highlights from the Inauguration of 49th International Kolkata Book Fair 2026

Dignitaries who were present in the inaugural ceremony of the 49th International Kolkata Book Fair were Smt. Mamata Banerjee, Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal; Mariano Caucino, Ambassador of Argentina to India; Gustavo Canzobre, eminent author of Argentina; Swapnamay Chakrobarti, Eminent Author of Bengal; Biman Bandopadhay, speaker of Assembly; Janab Firad Hakim, Mayor of Kolkata; Sujit Bose, MIC Fire and Emergency Services, Government of West Bengal and MLA of Biddhannagar; Indranil Sen, Minister of Tourism, Govt. of West Bengal; Tridib Kr. Chatterjee, General secretary, Publishers & Booksellers Guild; Mukesh, IPS Commissioner of Police, Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate; Supratim Sarkar, ADG, South Bengal, Javed Shamim, Manoj Verma, CP, Kolkata,Rajiv Kumar, DGP,Sudhanshu Sekhar Dey, President, Publishers & Booksellers Guild; Dola Sen, MP, Rajyasabha; Krishna Chakraborty, Mayor, Biddhannagar; Chandrima Bhattacharya, Minister of State for Finance (Independent Charge), Health and Family Welfare, Land and Land Reforms, Refugee and Rehabilitation, Government of West Bengal, Snehasish Chakrabarty,Transport Minister, Sabyasachi Dutta, Chairman, Bidhannagar corporation.

* Shri Swapnamoy Chakrabarti was conferred “Lifetime achievement award 2026” by publishers and book sellers guild worth Rs 2,00,000/- in the inaugural ceremony by our Hon’ble Chief Minister Smt Mamata Banerjee.

* CM Mamata Banerjee expressed gratitude being a part of the opening ceremony of the 49th Kolkata International Book Fair. The ceremony saw the launch of 9 books like “SIR -26 e 26”, “Amar Railbela”, “Banglar Prakriti maa” in bengali, “Mother Nature of Bengal Rhymes and Reflections” in english, “Amader Para Amader Somadhan”, “Kotha Bhandar Prothom Porbo”, “Purno Bhumi Bangla”, “In Service of The People”

*Hon’ble Chief Minister Smt Mamata Banerjee announced a grant of 10 Crore rupees for the making of ‘Boitirtho’ in book fair ground by 50th Kolkata International Book Fair 2027.

* Participation from almost 20 countries like Argentina, China, Ukrain Germany, UK, France, Russia, Nepal, Peru, Costa Rica and other Latin American countries etc .

* Tridib Kr. Chatterjee, President, Publishers & Booksellers Guild expressed gratitude towards Hon’ble chief minister Mamata Banerjee for giving the permanent book fair venue in Bidhannagar and giving the venue its own identity.