Pune Book Festival Breaks Records with Unprecedented Turnover and World Records

Pune, 25th December 2023: The Pune Book Festival, organized by the National Book Trust (NBT), has garnered exceptional attention and success, achieving a record-breaking turnover of approximately 11 crores. The festival, held at Fergusson College grounds from December 16th to 24th, witnessed an overwhelming response from the people of Pune, resulting in the sale of eight and a half lakh copies of books. This remarkable accomplishment has set a new standard for book festivals, recording four world records related to books and reading.

The festival’s conclusion was marked by the presence of dignitaries such as Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil, Actor Praveen Tarde, NBT President Milind Marathe, Vice-Chancellor Dr. Suresh Gosavi, Registrar Dr. Vijay Khare, and Pune Municipal Corporation Additional Commissioner Vikas Dhakne.

The cultural programs and literary discussions drew enthusiastic participation from Pune’s residents, contributing significantly to the high book sales. A staggering four and a half lakh citizens visited the festival, making it a resounding success.

The largest demographic of book buyers and visitors was comprised of school and college students. The festival distributed 87 thousand copies of Narendra Modi’s book “Exam Warriors” and 69 thousand copies of the book “Shivarajyabhishek.”

With the festival’s remarkable success, plans are already underway for its organization next year. Efforts will also be made in collaboration with the Municipal Corporation to position Pune as the capital of books. Rajesh Pande, the festival organizer, expressed the intent to approach NBT for the establishment of a reading culture center in Pune.

Minister Chandrakant Patil applauded the citizens’ unprecedented response, emphasizing that the festival debunked the notion that children are not avid readers. The success of the Pune Book Festival will be showcased in the upcoming International Book Festival at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi from February 10 to 18, featuring an information hall dedicated to the Pune Book Festival. NBT President Milind Marathe affirmed their commitment to take necessary steps for the continued promotion and success of the Pune Book Festival.