Where Books Meet the Future: Prayagraj Book Fair 2025 Opens with a Vision Beyond Pages

Prayagraj: Amid the gentle winter chill and an atmosphere steeped in ideas, stories and aspirations, the 11-day Prayagraj Book Fair 2025 opened its doors at The Palms Resort – Royal Garden, Katra. Anchored to the theme “Vision 2047: Developed India – Developed State,” the fair began as more than a literary marketplace—it emerged as a cultural confluence where tradition met the promise of a knowledge-driven future.

The inauguration by Justice Siddharth Nandan, Judge of the Allahabad High Court, set a reflective and inspiring tone for the days ahead. As he cut the ribbon to formally open the fair, the message was clear: in an age dominated by screens and scrolling, books remain the most enduring companions of the human mind.

Speaking to an attentive audience of readers, students, publishers and cultural enthusiasts, Justice Nandan reminded the gathering that while social media has its own relevance, intellectual growth is incomplete without books. “Books shape language, refine thought and expand imagination,” he observed, urging young readers to make books their lifelong friends. Striking a contemporary note, he also encouraged publishers to look beyond physical pages and develop online e-libraries, a move he said would democratise access to knowledge and carry literature to wider, younger audiences.

Following the inaugural address, Justice Nandan took a leisurely walk through the fair, pausing at stalls, engaging with publishers and acknowledging their role in sustaining India’s vibrant reading culture. The organisers presented him with a book as a symbolic gesture—an offering that reflected the fair’s spirit of shared knowledge.

Hosting the event, Royal Garden’s Director Arjun Agarwal described the book fair as a matter of pride for Prayagraj, a city with a deep-rooted literary and intellectual legacy. “Such events keep the cultural soul of the city alive,” he said, reiterating support for initiatives that promote learning and dialogue.

For organiser Manoj Singh Chandel, the fair represents a living platform for ideas. “This is a space where readers meet writers, students discover worlds beyond textbooks, and literature finds new voices,” he said. Spread across the venue are collections that range from children’s literature and academic works to competitive examination guides, philosophy, history, culture and contemporary thought—reflecting the diversity of Indian readership.

Co-organiser Manish Garg highlighted the impressive participation of leading publishing houses, including Bharatiya Jnanpith, Sasta Sahitya Mandal, Rajkamal Prakashan, Rajpal & Sons, Vani Prakashan, Lokbharti and several national and local publishers. Importantly, the fair remains open to all, free of charge, reinforcing its inclusive ethos.

The fair also drew support from social and business organisations. Rotary Prayagraj Platinum President Dr Prateek Pandey and Secretary CA Sanjay Talwar emphasised that book fairs play a crucial role in nurturing a culture of reading and critical thinking in society. Civil Lines Vyapar Mandal representatives echoed the sentiment, noting the positive cultural and economic ripple such events create for the city.

As visitors browsed through aisles lined with books and ideas, the opening day of the Prayagraj Book Fair 2025 signalled a quiet yet powerful reminder: in the journey towards a developed India, books remain both the compass and the companion.