Mumbai, October 3 (Daily Kiran) : Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis unveiled the official logo and website for the Mumbai Book Festival 2026 on October 3. This marks the beginning of preparations for a six-day celebration of books, literature, art, and culture. The festival aims to promote India’s rich literary traditions, strengthen the reading culture in the country, encourage young readers, and provide a significant platform for the exchange of ideas.
Scheduled from November 24 to 29, 2026, the festival will be held at the Kalina Campus of the University of Mumbai. It is organized in collaboration between the National Book Trust of India, under the Ministry of Education, and the Maharashtra government, along with the University of Mumbai.
The launch event featured notable attendees, including Milind Marathe, President of the National Book Trust India; Ravindra Kulkarni, Vice-Chancellor of Mumbai University; Amit Satam, the main organizer; Acharya Pawan Tripathi, the chief coordinator; and Yuvaraj Malik, Director of the National Book Trust India.
Fadnavis shared details on social media, highlighting the festival’s crucial role in connecting people with literature. The logo and website launch coincided with a significant date — exactly two years after Marathi was officially designated as a ‘classical language’ on October 3, 2024. The Chief Minister emphasized that this announcement reflects a renewed commitment to promoting a reading culture in the state.
Milind Marathe stated that the National Book Trust is bringing this major event to Mumbai, the economic capital of India. He noted that the festival at the Kalina Campus will serve as a significant platform for readers, families, students, and literature enthusiasts.
Special zones for children and youth will be created at the festival, along with interactive learning activities, workshops, and talent development programs. Various publishers will showcase books in multiple languages and subjects at a single venue. Evening sessions will feature performances related to local and national arts.
Established on August 1, 1957, the National Book Trust primarily focuses on promoting diverse literature, encouraging multilingual translations, and developing a reading culture through translations of outstanding literature in various Indian and international languages.
The Trust also prepares India-centric, non-academic, and general reading books for all age groups. During book festivals, events like “Meet the Author” sessions, translation workshops, and initiatives for young writers are organized.
The New Delhi World Book Fair is the National Book Trust’s flagship annual event. Additionally, the Trust continues to expand its reach by organizing book festivals in different regions of the country, including the Gomti Book Festival in Lucknow, the Chinar Book Festival in Srinagar, and events in Patna, Sambalpur, Shillong, Pune, Nagpur, Goa, and Ahmedabad.
According to Marathe, the National Book Trust has even hosted a book festival at an elevation of approximately 11,500 feet in Ladakh.
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