Visitors at a book fair

Kalimpong, July 24: Promoting Nepali, giving aspiring writers a platform to showcase their talents, encouraging people to take up reading and presenting a bonanza of books to whet reader appetite. The two-day event slated for September promises all this and more.

The National Book Trust of India has joined hands with Creative Group, a local association, to give Kalimpong “A Weekend with Books”, as the programme has been christened.

Seminars, an elocution contest and a sit-and-draw competition have been thrown in to make the event more attractive.

This is the first time that the book trust has decided to organise a programme to highlight the Nepali language in the subdivision.

“We are optimistic about National Book Trust of India holding a programme here. This is the first time it has shown an interest in this hill area and the Nepali society here,” Creative Group secretary Y.B. Sakhya said.

The event is being touted as a stepping stone for individuals eager to showcase their writing skills.

“The interest shown by the book trust could turn into a gateway for the Nepali writers as the NBTI could even publish books written by Nepali writers of this area. The writers here have not been able to take up writing as a profession because of the lack of opportunities,” Sakhya said.

Apart from helping the visitors cultivate reading habits, the seminar will also deal with the aspects of writing and publishing.

“The seminar is the main part of the programme where prominent writers and educationists from Kalimpong, Siliguri, Darjeeling and Kurseong will talk on different aspects related to books,” said Sakhya.

Even the sit-and-draw competition will be related to books.

“A narrator will read out a Nepali story and the people participating in the competition will be asked to use their imagination to paint a picture of the scene they found most appealing,” he added.

At the book fair, which is expected to be the crowd-puller, emphasis will be on Nepali books.

“The fair will also have the books of Indian writers that have come out in Hindi and English,” Sakhya said. “We will involve all the schools and colleges of Kalimpong in this event.”

A similar programme had been organised by the book trust in Sikkim on July 9 and July 10. A seminar had been organised on the 11 state languages as part of the programme.