Chennai Book Fair gets 8 lakh visitors this year

The turnout was less than usual, but Booksellers and Publishers Association of South India (BAPASI) president RS Shanmugam said they were happy with what they achieved.

CHENNAI: As the two-week Chennai Book Fair drew to a close on Tuesday, it seems the risk the organisers took – by conducting it late in February, instead of mid-January, as usual – has paid off.
The turnout was less than usual, but Booksellers and Publishers Association of South India (BAPASI) president RS Shanmugam said they were happy with what they achieved.

Generally, over 12 lakh people visit the fair, and the number fell to 8 lakh this year. Publishers, who usually do business worth over Rs 14 crore, made about Rs 12 crore this year. Organisers attributed the lower footfall to senior citizens giving the fair a miss due to the Covid-19 risk, and several potential customers from the software industry staying back in their hometowns due to the work-from-home option.
BAPASI vice president G Olivannan said several party functionaries, who constitute a chunk of their customer base, couldn’t make it to the fair this year due to election work.