The 38th edition of the Hyderabad Book Fair concluded on Monday, December 29 and saw a surge in public participation, with organizers estimating around 16 million visitors during the 11-day event.
The fair, which started on December 19, saw a sharp increase compared to 120000000 visitors in 2024. Organizers described the response as one of the strongest in recent years, noting particularly encouraging participation from young readers.
“The large presence of young people challenged the widespread perception that reading habits are declining due to increased screen time. At least half of the visitors were young people and stalls selling Telugu books saw a strong response. Telugu publications constituted almost half of the stalls at the fair, reflecting the continued interest in regional language literature,” said R. Vasu, Secretary, Hyderabad Book Fair.
Mr. Vasu also said that the book donation initiative set up at the site has received an overwhelming response. A total of 124 donors contributed books, filling three DCM trucks. The collected books will be distributed in villages across Telangana where access to reading is limited, he said.
Speaking at the closing ceremony on Monday, former Supreme Court judge Justice B. Sudershan Reddy said the large turnout was remarkable in this age of growing digital addiction. “It is heartening to see thousands of people attending the fair and there were very few books that could not be found at the event,” he added. Justice Reddy also appealed to the organizers to ensure that a pocket version of the Constitution of India in Telugu is available at the book fair next year.
Published – 29 Dec 2025 20:08 IST
