The Upcoming International Kolkata Book Fair will be the biggest festival in West Bengal after Durga Puja.
The upcoming 49th International Kolkata Book Fair will commence from 22nd January and will continue till 3rd of February 2026. Like previous years, the fair will be inaugurated by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal Smt. Mamata Banerjee, eminent poets, authors and other scholars will be present as guests of honour at the inauguration. The venue will be Boi Mela Prangan, Karunamoyee, Salt Lake.
According to Tridib KR Chatterjee, The Honorable General Secrretary of Publishers and Booksellers Guild said that at the very outset, Publishers and Booksellers Guild would like to express deep gratitude towards Honourable Chief Minister Of West Bengal Smt. Mamata Banerjee. Booksellers Guild will be indebted to the Urban and Municipal Affairs Department, KMDA and Bidhannagar Municipality for the upgradation of the Mela Prangan.
As we currently know that International Kolkata Book Fair is the world’s largest Book Fair. Twenty Seven Lakh book lovers visited the last book fair in 2025 and the book sales amounted to Rs 23 crores.
Although the size of the fairground remains the same, last year book fair company that is Publishers and Booksellers Guild managed to increase a few stalls but this year Guild Company deeply regret that in 2026 it is not possible for the book fair company to increase the number of stalls.
For the first time in the history of the International Kolkata book Fair, Argentina, a country closely connected with India, especially Bengal, will be the Focal Theme Country in the International Kolkata Book Fair 2026. This will contribute towards building stronger bilateral cultural relationship between the two countries.
Mr. Andre’s Rojas, Head of the Political and Cultural Section of the embassy of Argentina in India and Mrs. Anandi Queipo Riavitz, head of the Consular section of the Embassy Of Argentina in India discussed some interesting news about their participation as the focal theme in the book fair.
2027 will be the Golden Jubilee year of the International Kolkata Book Fair. For this, Publishers and Book Sellers Guild will cordially invite photographers who have covered the Kolkata Book Fair during the first two decades. The best 10 rare and nostalgic photographers will be awarded.
Like every year Great Britain, USA, Germany, Australia, France, Spain, Peru, Colombia, Japan, Thailand and other Latin American Countries will be participating in the upcoming book fair. Guild company is also expecting more international participants this year. Besides, there are publications of other states of India, such as Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Gujrat, Bihar, Assam, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Odisha, Tripura, etc. There will also be Magazines Pavilion, The Childrens Pavilion and other such attractions.
Another attraction of the International Kolkata Book Fair will be The Kolkata Literature Festival which will be held on 24th and 25th of January, 2026.