Currently Kolkata ranks as the third largest book fair in the world, after Cairo and Madrid, but #2 is now in its sights.

Unprecedented Early Attendance

The 49th Kolkata International Book Fair has opened with extraordinary momentum, recording approximately 1 million (10 lakh) visitors across its first weekend – an all-time high for the opening three days. Sunday alone drew roughly 400,000 (four lakh) attendees, according to Publishers and Booksellers Guild officials.

Infrastructure Under Pressure

The surge has tested venue capacity at Boimela Prangan, Salt Lake. Nine entry gates operated continuously from noon to 7:30 pm, while traffic police struggled to manage pedestrian and vehicular flow. New metro connectivity via the Green Line – from Howrah to Karunamoyee in 40 minutes – has significantly improved accessibility, with on-site ticket kiosks reducing station congestion.

Market Dynamics

Bengali-language titles from established Indian houses dominated sales, with notable demand for English fiction and non-fiction.

The Little Magazine Pavilion maintained its dedicated following.

Digital navigation tools, including a new Android app with Google Maps integration and QR-coded ground maps, assisted visitors navigating 1,000+ stalls.

Context and Projections

The fair runs 22 January–3 February 2026 (13 days) with Argentina as focal theme country. The 2025 edition achieved 2.7 million visitors and ₹25 crore (£2.4m/$3m) in sales across 12 days.

Provisional Footfall Estimate

Maintaining current rates (approx. 333,000 daily average) suggests a final tally of 4.3–4.5 million visitors, potentially eclipsing all previous records. However, historical patterns show attendance typically peaks during final weekends and Republic Day holidays (26 January).

Currently Kolkata ranks as the third largest book fair in the world, after Cairo and Madrid, but #2 is now in its sights.

The View From The Beach

Kolkata offers Western publishers direct access to India’s £9.6bn book market – 71% educational, growing 18% annually. The 2026 edition precedes the fair’s 50th anniversary (2027), marking it as India’s longest-running annual book fair.

Given the 2027 anniversary, publishers might want to start thinking now about a presence at Kolkata next year.

This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.