Chennai: With increased focus on literary events and importance accorded to publishers and writers, Chennai is set to become the publishing capital of India, deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin said on Monday.Distributing BAPASI awards to publishers, authors and stall-owners, and felicitating volunteers at the 49th edition of the Chennai Book Fair (CBF), Udhayanidhi said the fair served as an inspiration to the govt for holding other similar events. “We held an ‘Arivu Thiruvizha’ at Valluvar Kottam, as part of which a book exhibition was organised. The reception was encouraging, and we decided to conduct it every year henceforth. We took inspiration from CBF in holding the exhibition,” he added.
He further said that people of TN embraced literature and promoted reading. “Earlier, during holidays, people used to throng parks, beaches and other hangouts. But today, people prefer to hang out at the book fair. The change is an outcome of the efforts taken by the govt to promote reading in the state,” he added. TNN
