The National Book Trust confirmed many major India-based publishers including Penguin Random House India and Bloomsbury India had not committed to the event, while many of those that initially had expressed intent were asking for the event to be postponed.
With just two days notice the New Delhi World Book Fair, India’s biggest trade-facing publishing event, was postponed until an unknow future date amid rising Covod-19 concerns and clear indications those publishing bodies that had originally committed to being there were having second thoughts.
The National Book Trust confirmed many major India-based publishers including Penguin Random House India and Bloomsbury India had not committed to the event, while many of those that initially had expressed intent were asking for the event to be postponed.
New dates will be announced when the picture becomes clearer as to how the pandemic will unfold.
But in stark contrast, in neighbouring Pakistan an expected turn-out of 400,000 swelled to 600,000, equally a past record, at the Karachi International Book Fair.
