Olga Tokarczuk, photo. Grażyna Makara
Some of the highlights will include the launch of the first Hindi translation of Michał Rusinek’s children’s book, Little Chopin, by the eminent poet Mangalesh Dabral and published by India’s National Book Trust. Hindi translations of Ryszard Kapuściński’s Shah of Shahs, Olga Tokarczuk’s Wardrobe, and Andrzej Stasiuk’s Tales of Galicia, published by Rajkamal Prakashan, will also be introduced at the Book Fair. Workshops will be presented throughout the week and will include the works of the acclaimed illustrator Małgorzata Gurowska.
Visitors will be also able to see some exhibitions. A particular highlight of this year’s Book Fair is the display The Poet of Reportage. Ryszard Kapuściński, 1932-2007, showcasing the works of the world-renowned Polish reporter. The exhibition is produced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, the Polish Institute in India and the Polish Book Institute.
There will also be an exhibition of illustrations from children’s books from Poland entitled It’s A Strange World: 20 Illustrators from Poland, which will showcase the works of twenty award-winning Polish illustrators. An exhibition on Krakow as UNESCO's City of Literature will be featured as well.
Wojciech Jagielski, photo. Elżbieta Lempp
The Polish Institute together with the Book Institute and Indian partners prepared around 20 literary events all over Delhi including a Urvashi Butalia conversation with cooperation from Oxford Bookstore, as well as a children's workshop on the Polish children’s classic Lokomotive by Julian Tuwim with illustrations by Malgorzata Gurowska.
On 20th February, visitors have a chance to take part in an event called A Tale of Two Cities: the literary heritage of Krakow and Delhi, on the occasion of Krakow winning UNESCO's City of Literature title. Oxford Book Store at CP, Full Circle, and Bhari and Sons at Khan market will have shelves stocked with an extensive collection of Polish titles.
The New Delhi World Book Fair 2014 will be inaugurated by the President of India, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, at Hamsdhwani Amphitheatre, Pragati Maidan, on 15th February. During the inauguration of the Polish pavilion, Grzegorz Gauden – the Director of Polish Institute, will give a lecture about the Polish book market. Writers, such as Michał Rusinek, Olga Tokarczuk, and Wojciech Jagielski, as well as publishers such as Beata Stasińska (Foksal Publishing Group), Magdalena Dębowska (Polish Rights Agency), and Jadwiga Jędryas (Two Sisters – publishing house for children’s books) will open the Polish pavilion at the Book Fair together with India’s National Book Trust.
Also the present were Prof. Piotr Kłodkowski, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to India; Ms. Katarzyna Kacperczyk, Secretary of State, Public and Economic Diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland; and Ms. Małgorzata Omilanowska , Secretary of State and Minister of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland.
Małgorzata Gurowska, fot. Agencja Gazeta
The New Delhi World Book Fair, held annually for the past 41 years, is now a major event in the publishing world's calender. Besides the many literary and publishing conferences and programmes organized during the fair, it also opens up a gateway to the publishing and intellectual world of South Asia. The fair attracts participation from the major publishing houses of the globe. In 2013, the fair attracted more than 1200 Indian Exhibitors and 31 Foreign Exhibitors.
NDWBF 2014 is scheduled from 15 to 23 February 2014 at the centrally located Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
Sources: press materials, ed. MG, 13.02.2014, translated: Katarzyna Maksimiuk, 13.02.2014