The record
Written from the 1 report below. Nothing here is unsourced.
- The third Chinar Book Festival concluded at the Sher-i-Kashmir Convention Centre in Srinagar after nine days, from July 18 to July 26, drawing between 57,000 and 100,000 visitors, according to the report.
- Organised by the National Book Trust against the backdrop of Dal Lake, the festival featured packed book stalls, prominent guests including astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, actor Rakesh Bedi and filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, and a dedicated Urdu hall that remained crowded.
- NBT director Yuvraj Malik said the turnout reflected a strong reading culture in the Valley, particularly among young women, who made up around 70 per cent of visitors, and challenged perceptions of Kashmir as conflict-affected.
- He added that it took two years to secure clearances for the event and that three editions have concluded without any major security incident.
What to watch next
- Whether future editions of the festival continue to attract similarly large crowds and prominent guests
- How the NBT builds on Malik's remarks about translation and the popularity of Urdu-language books
- Whether Malik's claims about Kashmir's changing ground reality and security perceptions are reflected in subsequent reporting
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Named India · Kashmir · Dal Lake · Imtiaz Ali · National Book Trust · Rakesh Bedi · Sher-i-Kashmir Convention Centre · Shubhanshu Shukla · Yuvraj Malik
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