The Ahmedabad International Book Fair 2026 concludes successfully, drawing in over four lakh visitors and achieving book sales worth over ₹5 crore. The nine-day long event which was held between October 24 and November 1 at the Sabarmati Riverfront Event Centre witnessed the presence of publishers, authors, students, and lovers of books from all over the country.

Organised jointly by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and the National Book Trust (NBT), this year’s third edition of the festival saw 191 exhibitors participating across 498 stalls.

Sessions on Literature Connect Writers and Their Audience

The literature festival had 111 sessions held in seven distinct thematic streams, offering chances for the audience to connect with authors, poets, speakers, and cultural luminaries.

The main stage, Rangmanch, was dedicated to evening sessions that had 47 poets, singers, and speakers. The Authors' Corner was responsible for organising 13 sessions having 31 writers and guests.

Dome 2, which is the University Pavilion, had 27 sessions, one of which was a roundtable discussion session with 26 speakers. Other sessions include nine Gyan Ganga Writing workshops, 18 book launches that had 17 writers and nine Vichar Manthan lectures.

Over 150 literary and cultural figures took part in different sessions.

Reading and Learning Activities Draw Children to Pavilion

The Children's Pavilion in Dome 1 became one of the most interesting attractions, conducting 35 sessions which were meant for students from Class 1 to Class 12.

Organised under the aegis of National e-Library, VSSCC, and IIT Gandhinagar, the pavilion had activities that would help promote the love of reading and learning among the children.

There were special trips arranged for schools and colleges to acquaint the students with literature. There were also writing workshops held to let the students have fun beyond classroom learning.

Startup Expos, Art and Culture Enrich the Book Fair Event

In addition to the books and literary sessions that dominated the book fair, there were also startup expos, art and craft classes, demos and interactive installations.

The sculpture room became a focal point due to the art installations and audio visual shows offered there.

The events enriched the literary event with elements of culture, creativity and entrepreneurship.

Sustainability and Book Donation Schemes

Environmentally conscious efforts formed yet another area of emphasis during this year's edition. This is evident from the introduction of four-bin segregation system and Swachh Bharat Mission booth by the organizers, emphasizing the principle of sustainability through reduce, reuse and recycle methods.

One such effort was the establishment of book donation booth under the name of "Pustak Ni Parab," motivating people to donate their books for greater accessibility to literature.

This brought in a sense of community into the festival.

A Growing Platform for India's Literary Community

With more than four lakh visitors, 191 exhibitors and book sales exceeding ₹5 crore, the Ahmedabad International Book Fair 2026 demonstrated the continuing interest in physical books and literary events.

The combination of author interactions, children's activities, educational workshops, cultural performances and sustainability initiatives made the nine-day festival a platform for readers across different age groups.

The event's success also reinforces the role of large-scale book fairs in connecting publishers, authors and readers while encouraging a stronger reading culture in India.