For second year running, Covid pandemic defers book fair in Chennai; publishers hit hard – Times of India

Chennai News
CHENNAI: The Chennai book fair, a marquee event attracting huge crowds, has been postponed this year owing to the third wave of Covid-19, leaving publishers high and dry. Last year, the event was held in February, but the returns were poor.
Organized by the Booksellers and Publishers Association of South India (BAPASI), the annual event would have marked its 45th edition this year and was to be inaugurated by chief minister M K Stalin, but a sudden spurt in Covid-19 cases has led to ambiguity about the future of the event this year.

“We have already spent about Rs 80 lakh in preparations and were ready when the third wave struck. We are hoping to conduct the fair in February or March as publishers have already spent money by bringing out new titles and new authors for the readers,” said S K Murugan, secretary, BAPASI.
While the offi ce bearers are confi dent of conducting the event in February, publishers feel that the Pongal holidays was the only window in the year when the fair could have been successful. Only established publishers can survive when the fair is held in other months. In 2016, the fair was held in June as floods in December 2015 wreaked havoc in the city. It was not as successful as the ones held in January, a recent example being last year.
“During Pongal, the number of government holidays is more and people are in a festive spirit… at least one day is spent by most families visiting the book fair,” said G Olivannan of Emerald publishers.
Those from the diaspora who visit the state during Margazhi season used to extend their stay until Pongal to visit the book fair, say publishers.
Office bearers of the BAPASI, however, are confi dent that the present government will consider the plight of the publishers and would help them.
“A senior IAS offi cer told me that the government itself is thinking on the lines of conducting the book fair and support publishers.
Those words were a big boost to us,” BAPASI secretary S K Murugan said.
The publishing industry which managed to evade threat from epublishing and online platforms like Amazon is now again at a crossroads due to the third wave of the pandemic. According to G Olivannan, the number of stalls at the book fair, which has only increased over the years, is evidence of interested players.

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/for-second-year-running-covid-pandemic-defers-book-fair-in-chennai-publishers-hit-hard/articleshow/89051166.cms