The 38th edition of the Hyderabad Book Fair concluded on Monday, December 29, marking a rise in public participation, with organisers estimating a footfall of around 16 lakh visitors over the 11-day event.
The fair, which began on December 19, recorded a sharp increase compared to the 12 lakh visitors in 2024. Organisers described the response as one of the strongest in recent years, noting a particularly encouraging turnout of young readers.
“The large presence of youngsters 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 received a strong response. Telugu publications accounted for nearly half of the stalls at the fair, reflecting sustained interest in regional language literature,” said R. Vasu, secretary of the Hyderabad Book Fair.
Mr. Vasu also said that a book donation initiative set up at the venue 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 material remains limited, he said.
Speaking at the closing ceremony on Monday, former Supreme Court Judge Justice B. Sudershan Reddy said the large turnout was noteworthy in this age of growing digital addiction. “It is heartening to see lakhs of people attend the fair and there were very few books that could not be found at the event,” he added. Justice Reddy also appealed to the organisers to ensure that a pocket size Telugu version of the Constitution of India is made available at the book fair next year.
Published – December 29, 2025 08:08 pm IST
