Book fair, a unique place for exchange of ideas

OUR CORRESPONDENT

SIVASAGAR: The fifth Sivasagar Book Fair organized by Khoj in association with the Sivasagar district administration concluded on Tuesday evening with lakhs thronging the fair over 11 days of cultural and literary activities, besides a record sale of books. More than 50 books were released in the book fair and 55 book sellers and publishers took part.

Commending the efforts of Khoj in organizing such a fair, Atanu Bhattacharjya, editor of the literary magazine Xatxory and an eminent short story writer, who attended the valedictory function as the chief guest, said that professional writers were not usually good speakers and it was because of their inability to speak that they take recourse to writing. He said that Dr Moidul Islam Bora of Sivasagar, a pundit in both Parsi and English, wrote the famous historical chronicle Baharistan e Gaibi which can immensely help writers know about Assam of the middle ages.

The organizing committee felicitated Prof. Sonaram Baruah, former Principal of Sibsagar Girls' College, Dr Prakash Kotoky, the chief organizer of the organizing committee of the book fair. Prakash Kotoky in his speech said that a book fair was not about just selling and buying of books but a unique place for the exchange of ideas and sharing of feelings among the people of all classes in an otherwise gloomy socio-cultural scenario. Jyoti Pd Chaliha said that electronic media could not pose a challenge to books and Maninder Singh, former Sivasagar DC, should be remembered as the prime source of inspiration while talking about the Sivasagar Book Fair.

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