Chandigarh
14 April 2023
DIVYA AZAD
A Book Fair ‘Load The Box’ , is being organised by Delhi based – ‘Kitab Lovers’ at Lajpat Rai Bhawan, Sector 15 here. A large number of book lovers from across the tricity are turning up at the book fair, where more than 10 lakh new and pre-owned books from over 20 plus genres are displayed. The fair is on till April 16(Sunday) daily from 9 am till 10 pm. What makes the ‘Kitab Lovers’ book fair special is its innovative ‘Load The Box’ concept, wherein book lovers who visit the fair can make a one-time payment for a box and fill the box with as many books as the box can hold. The boxes are available in three sizes ranging from Rs 1199 to Rs 2999.
On being asked about the decline of reading habits in the social media age, Rahul Pandey, Co-Founder of ‘Kitab Lovers’, replied, “I don’t think so there is much decline! With time, the preferences might have changed due to digital reading options. But still there is a substantial market for books in physical form and book reading is growing strong despite the digital media onslaught. The reason behind this is that a large section of readers still prefers reading physical books because of the touch and feel associated with this. On Kindle and digital books prolonged reading strains the eyes and you won’t get the same feel while reading as in physical forms of books.”
Delighted to host the book fair for the second time in the city, Pandey added, “We are elated to be back in Chandigarh. This time we have brought a wide range of books for all age groups at affordable costs. From crime & thriller to best selling fiction and non-fiction , romance and encyclopedias etc, you will find all these different types of books all under one roof.”
It is imperative to mention that around 4 city based authors have displayed their books at the book fair. One of the authors, Radhika Anand, who showcased her maiden fictional romantic novel ‘Love or Ruined’ at the book fair said, “It’s a great opportunity for budding authors like me. I am thankful to Kitab Lovers for providing me the platform to display my book in order to reach out to a larger audience. This initiative allows us to know the taste of the local readers while interacting with them and also gives recognition to authors.”
Since its inception in 2019, ‘Kitab Lovers’ has hosted over 50 book fairs in 20 cities all over India. Through its ‘Load The Box’ campaign, Kitab Lovers is on an ambitious mission: to make reading affordable and accessible for every Indian and spread the love for reading all over the country.
