In an age dominated by digital screens, where much of children’s time is increasingly confined to mobile phones and devices, the extraordinary participation of school students at the World Book Fair has emerged as a hopeful and inspiring sign. Despite the biting cold wave sweeping across Delhi–NCR, the enthusiasm of young visitors remained undiminished. The large turnout of school students at the fair on Friday clearly demonstrated that the love for books is very much alive.
School students were seen engrossed in a wide range of reading material, including fiction and non-fiction, comics, graphic novels such as Dog Man and Geronimo, video-game-based books like Minecraft and Roblox, and many other genres. Just two days earlier, many children had the opportunity to engage with astronauts, including Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, along with other inspiring personalities, through interactive sessions, storytelling events, and creative workshops. India’s first astronaut, Shukla, interacted directly with hundreds of school students and their families, sharing his experiences with simplicity, sincerity, and gentle humour. “I did not go to space alone,” he said. “The prayers of one billion Indians went with me.” Encouraging young minds, he assured them that in the years to come, any one of them could lead India’s future space missions.
The efforts of the National Book Trust (NBT), the organiser of the World Book Fair, deserve special appreciation for its consistent initiatives to bring books closer to children and cultivate a reading culture among them. Students from various schools not only purchased books but also participated enthusiastically in interactions with authors, children’s literature sessions, and creative activities.
Specially designed stalls for children, filled with picture books, informative titles, and imaginative stories, seemed to reconnect childhood itself with the world of books. Teachers and parents alike believe that such events play a vital role in nurturing imagination, critical thinking, and language skills among children.
Conversations with several adolescents at the fair echoed a similar sentiment. The sight of English novels, short story collections, and biographies in their hands clearly reflects a changing approach to language learning. Moving beyond classroom boundaries and grammar textbooks, the younger generation is increasingly embracing literature as a guide. These young readers believe that English novels teach not just vocabulary, but also ways of thinking, styles of expression, and self-confidence. They say that while reading novels, they do not merely memorise a language—they feel it and live it. This is why these adolescent readers show keen interest in everything from classic works to contemporary English literature.
The World Book Fair is not merely a marketplace for books; it is a confluence of knowledge, culture, and ideas. The remarkable presence of school students stands as proof that, given the right platform and environment, it is still very much possible to connect the new generation with books.
