Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday said the collective aspiration of Tamil society is that it should be respected by the world as a society rich in knowledge.
Inaugurating the 49th edition of the Chennai Book Fair 2026, organised by the Booksellers and Publishers Association of South India (BAPASI), at the YMCA grounds in Nandanam here, Mr. Stalin described the fair as a confluence of knowledge and a festival of learning.
What started in 1977 with just 13 stalls has today grown into a larger fair with over 900 stalls, he said, and welcomed BAPASI’s decision to waive the entry fee so that more people can visit the fair.
He said the Dravidian movement was born to usher in an intellectual revolution, with books as its primary instrument. He also said he had donated over four lakh books presented to him since 2017 to students and various libraries across the State and even to Sri Lanka.
“The Dravidian model government has been implementing several schemes and initiatives to promote reading habits and to place books in everyone’s hands,” he said, while listing several measures taken by his government for the construction of libraries in various towns and for organising book fairs at the district level.
He urged the youth to utilise all the initiatives taken by the government to promote reading. “For Tamil and Tamil Nadu to flourish and for the youth to achieve success, they must hold books firmly,” he added.
Mr. Stalin also handed over the Muthamizharignar Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi Porkizhi Award 2026 to writers Sugumaran, Aadhavan Dheetchanya, R. Murugan, Bharathiputhiran, K.S. Karuna Prasad and V. Geetha under various categories.
Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ma. Subramanian, Minister for School Education Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, Chennai South MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian, BAPASI president R.S. Shanmugam, secretary S. Vairavan and vice-president Nakheeran R.R. Gopal were among those who were present.
The Chennai Book Fair will feature nearly 1,000 stalls, including 428 Tamil book stalls and 256 English book stalls from various publications. The book fair is open from 11 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. until January 21, and entry is free.
Curated by Shiv Shakti Mishra
