Kolkata Book Fair introduces mobile app for effortless navigation across 1,000 stalls

Kolkata: Visitors to the 48th International Kolkata Book Fair, set to begin on Wednesday, will now be able to easily locate their favourite stalls using a newly developed mobile app.

The app, available for Android and Apple users, is designed to help millions of visitors find their way to the event’s sprawling grounds from outside, a distance of 1km.

This is the first time such a customised app will be used at a book fair in India, said Sudhangshu Sekhar Dey, general secretary of the Publishers and Booksellers Guild, the event’s organisers.

"In previous years, book lovers would often spend considerable time searching for their desired stalls across the vast fairgrounds. This time, they can download the specially made International Kolkata Book Fair app from Playstore, developed by Sister Nivedita University. It will guide visitors directly to their stall locations," Guild president Tridib Chatterjee said.

The app contains details of all 1,000 stalls, including names, numbers, and locations. Visitors can navigate seamlessly to their chosen stalls. While the app offers a modern solution, traditional methods like printed maps and QR codes for easy access will still be available at the fair's entrance, ensuring that everyone can find their way around.

The book fair, which will be inaugurated by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on January 28, will have Germany as the focal theme country.

Visitors will encounter gates named after iconic German landmarks such as Goethe Gate, Brandenburg Gate, and Max Mueller Gate, along with pathways named after famous German figures like Bertolt Brecht, Franz Kafka, and Thomas Mann.

German Ambassador Philipp Ackermann and director of Goethe Institut, Max Mueller Bhavan New Delhi Marla Stukenberg, will be present at the inaugural ceremony.

Last year, the event saw 2.7 million visitors, with books worth Rs 23 crore sold, solidifying the Kolkata Book Fair’s position as the world’s biggest book carnival in terms of footfall.

Countries including the US, UK, France, Russia, Argentina, and several Latin American nations will also participate in this year’s fair.