The book fair will be open from 11 a.m. till 8.30 p.m. on all 14 days unlike the last few years where the fair was open in the mornings only on weekends.
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B. VELANKANNI RAJ
The 49th edition of the Chennai Book Fair 2026 will be inaugurated by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on January 8, 2026, said R.S. Shanmugam, president, Booksellersâ and Publishersâ Association of South India (BAPASI) on Saturday in Chennai.
Addressing mediapersons at the Chennai Press Club he said that the book fair will be held at the YMCA grounds, Nandanam. The fair will be held till January 21, 2026.
âThe book fair will be open from 11 a.m. till 8.30 p.m. on all 14 days unlike the last few years where the fair was open in the mornings only on weekends,â Mr. Shanmugam said.
Noting that there will be over 1,000 stalls, he said stalls will be set up by various countries including Malaysia, Japan, Sri Lanka and Singapore. Other States such as Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka will also set up stalls.
Vice president (Tamil) BAPASI Nakkheeran Gopal said that the team is taking steps to make entry free for the book fair apart from improving amenities such as toilets, parking and rest area for the public. âFurther, we have also taken extra measures to ensure that the book fair operates even during rain,â he said.
World famous publishers such as Penguin Random House India, Harpercollins Publishers India, Simon and Schuster India will be taking part apart from the Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation, the World Tamil Research Institute, Sahitya Akademi, among others.
Every evening, speeches by scholars and writers will be held. The Muthamizhaarigna Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi Porkizhi Award for the year 2026 will be awarded for poetry, short story, novel, plays and others.
Competitions will be held for school students and reading practice will be given to them during the fair.
Published â December 20, 2025 07:19 pm IST
