Chennai book fair to be inaugurated by Stalin on 8 Jan

The 49th edition of the Chennai Book Fair will be inaugurated on 8 January, by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin at the Nandanam YMCA grounds.

Organised annually by the Booksellers and Publishers Association of South India (BAPASI), the fair continues until 21 January and is a major highlight in the city’s literary calendar.

This year’s fair features around 1,000 stalls, offering books in Tamil, English, and other regional languages, along with selections from international publishers including Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Penguin, and HarperCollins. A dedicated children’s section and a stall run by a transgender-led queer publishing house add diversity and inclusivity to the event. Visitors can also explore rare publications, academic works, comics, and translated literature.

In addition to book sales, the fair will host author interactions, panel discussions, workshops, and cultural performances. Awards such as the Muthamizharingar Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi awards and BAPASI annual honours will be presented during the fortnight-long fair.

The event runs daily from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., with special discounts on books, and organisers expect lakhs of visitors, making it a vibrant hub for reading and cultural engagement in Chennai.