India's Pioneer Media on TradeFairs

“This year our complete focus is on our 60 years. That’s why there is no focus country – NBT chairman Baldeo Bhai Sharma

Delhi is going to celebrate the largest book festival “World Book Fair” from 07 – 15 January 2017 in Delhi. How the preparation is going On and many other related things was discussed between our Delhi’s city correspondence Neetu Nigam and NBT chairman Shri Baldev Bhai Sharma. Shri Sharma said, ” NBT is working on a beautiful calendar in which it will portray the picture of all those scholar women who have an important role in Indian literature”. In 2017 National Book Trust of India (NBT) will be doing double celebration. Why NBT is making a calendar and why will celebrate being double will be answered in this short consultation.

TFT : What exclusive will readers get in The World Book Fair 2017?
Sharma : NBT is completing 60 years this year. So our prime and entire focus will be on that exclusively. We are establishing a special pavilion focusing 60 years of NBT. In which we will display how are we promoting literatures in Indian languages.
Readers will get there all those books which are sold out of more than lacs of copies. NBT is publishing books in twenty languages. So trades will have an opportunity to find those books too who did good business likewise English did.
The second new thing for the readers would be our theme.This year, the Fair’s complete focus will be on women authors. That’s why we are not only creating beautiful halls, but likewise we are designing it in such a way that readers will get information about the women writers. NBT is working on a beautiful calendar in which it will portray the images of all those women scholar who have an important part in Indian literature (for the beginning till now).

TFT : How many exhibitors (publishers) Will there be?
Sharma : More than one thousand publishers will be at that place. Even we have more books inspite of publishers. Literature from twenty countries are there.
TFT : Are you focusing on any particular country this year?
Sharma : this year our complete focus is on our 60 years. That’s why there is no focus country . Only on an International level, we will show how NBT is marking its presence at worldwide book fairs like in Beijing, London, Frankfurt etc. We will show all these activities by picture in the fair.
The second special thing you will experience at the fair is on Shakespeare. Actually Shakespeare’s lecture is completing four hundred years. British embassy will show it in the mediocre. The European Union will also showcase Indian books on their dash. So lots of novel and innovative things you will see there.
Hence this year, in spite focusing on any country, we are focusing on different different important things happening all over the world.

TFT : As ITPO is renovating, did you face any kind of trouble to get the halls?
Sharma : Yes, we are facing some problems due to renovation, But we had prepared ourself much before the placements for the fair were under process.
We need hall number six, but this fourth dimension it is not available. Thus We were cognisant that we will face such kind of inconvenience hence we were mentally prepared to build the hangar. Some problem arises due to less space, but we can not do anything about that. We have to face this inconvenience in respect of the melioration.

TFT : This is the time when the nation is facing a cash problem. What are the facilities for cashless payment?
Sharma : People have cash. After December problem will have to solve on a large stage. Hence we are prepared for the cashless option too. We tie up with banks for mobile ATM and other installations. Even people have heaps of options for cashless payment.

TFT : Cause you think book fair will get readers? Many event organisers have cut down and postponed their show due to demonetisation, those who have not are waiting for the visitants.
Sharma : No, no, this is the right time to do the mediocre. Now the train is on track. That’s why we acted very good publicity by the holdings, poster on two thousand auto rickshaws, SMS alerts and many other ways to tell the readers about the fair. Book lovers wait for the book fair whole year. They will most definitely come.
There was a negative news in the beginning of the rights, but then everything started going well and smooth. I talked with the shopkeepers and they said that they are not facing any problem as they accept online payment mode. Thus the current ban will not affect the book fair.

TFT : Are you planning to take part in the London book fair? What is the difference between their book fair and ours?
Sharma : Yes, we are participating in that also. We (NBT) Always participate in all named book fairs which we will express in the 60th anniversary pavilion. Only one thing which I missed there was the general public. People associated with business only use to attend there. There is no such crowd like here. They do not add up with their family and children there.

TFT : What sort of response did you receive from their readers?
Sharma :  The response is right. People love Indian lecture. They (readers) are very enthusiastic for the book fair. But mostly B2B people are coming there and not book lovers.