Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday inaugurated the New Delhi World Book Fair (NDWBF) 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, marking the beginning of one of the world’s largest B2C literary events. On the occasion, he also released the book “The Saga of Kudopali: The Unsung Story of 1857” in nine Indian languages and Spanish, paying tribute to Veer Surendra Sai and the martyrs of Kudopali from Sambalpur.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by Qatar’s Minister of Culture H.E. Abdulrahman Bin Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Al Thani, Spain’s Minister of Culture H.E. Ernest Urtasun Domènech, Director General of Books, Ministry of Culture, Spain Ms. Maria Jose Gálvez, Secretary (Higher Education) Dr. Vineet Joshi, Chairman NBT Shri Milind Sudhakar Marathe, Director NBT Shri Yuvraj Malik, along with senior officials of the Ministry of Education and distinguished international guests.
During the event, Shri Pradhan released multilingual editions of “The Saga of Kudopali: The Untold Story of 1857,” including Bengali, Assamese, Punjabi, Marathi, Malayalam and Urdu, in addition to Spanish. A short video highlighting the historical significance of the Kudopali movement was also screened. The Minister noted that the book, earlier released in Hindi, English and Odia, is now available in 13 languages, reflecting India’s rich multilingual tradition and strengthening global cultural dialogue.
Addressing the gathering, Dharmendra Pradhan said that NDWBF 2026 is not merely a marketplace for books but a vibrant confluence of ideas and a celebration of India’s deep-rooted reading culture. He added that the theme of the fair, “Indian Military History: Valour and Wisdom @75,” along with the participation of Qatar and Spain, has enhanced the cultural and intellectual significance of the event. He emphasised that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat is grounded in building a knowledgeable, thoughtful and aware generation, where reading and learning form the foundation of nation-building.
The Union Minister congratulated the National Book Trust (NBT) for organising the fair and expressed confidence that the event would further energise the country’s reading culture through dialogue, literature and knowledge exchange.
Spain’s Culture Minister H.E. Ernest Urtasun Domènech highlighted his country’s participation during the Spain–India Dual Year 2026, stating that the fair offers a valuable platform to promote Spanish writers in India, where interest in Spanish language and literature is steadily growing. He also recalled the historic literary connection between Juan Ramón Jiménez and Rabindranath Tagore. Qatar’s Culture Minister H.E. Abdulrahman bin Hamad bin Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani said Qatar’s participation reflects the strong bilateral ties between the two nations and underlined the role of culture and knowledge in strengthening people-to-people relations.
The New Delhi World Book Fair 2026 is being organised by the National Book Trust, India, under the Ministry of Education, with the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) as co-organiser. The nine-day fair, being held from 10 to 18 January 2026, features over 1,000 publishers from more than 35 countries, 600-plus events with over 1,000 speakers, and is expected to attract more than two million visitors. Entry to the fair has been made free for the first time.
This year’s central attraction is the Theme Pavilion titled “Indian Military History: Valour and Wisdom @75,” a 1,000-square-metre immersive space showcasing the courage, sacrifice and nation-building role of the Indian Armed Forces since Independence. The pavilion features over 500 books, curated exhibits, documentaries, installations, replicas of the Arjun Tank, INS Vikrant and LCA Tejas, tributes to 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees, and sessions covering major military operations from 1947 onwards. Special exhibitions marking 150 years of Vande Mataram and the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel are also part of the fair.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
