Sat May 10 14:24:18 UTC 2025: ## Kollam Book Festival Celebrates Reading Culture: A Global Model

**KOLLAM, INDIA (May 10, 2025)** – The Kollam Book Festival, organized by the Jilla Library Council Vikasana Samithi, opened its doors on Saturday to a large and enthusiastic crowd, showcasing a vibrant reading culture. Writer V. Shinilal, inaugurating the festival, praised the event as a unique model for global book fairs, highlighting its broad participation from both writers and readers, unlike many other similar events.

Shinilal emphasized the Malayali community’s strong affinity for books and the unparalleled accessibility of literature within the community. The festival, taking place at the Kollam Government Boys High School from May 10th to 13th, features over 100 publishers and offers a wide selection of books, including the newly released “Kollam – History, Culture, Politics” (three volumes) published by the N. S. Study and Research Centre.

The event also included a reading competition, with prizes awarded to winners by P. K. Gopan, State executive member and Kollam district panchayat president. Council district president K. B. Muralikrishnan presided over the opening ceremony, with D. Sukesan, secretary, and S. Nazar, State executive member, also addressing the attendees. The festival promises to be a significant celebration of reading and literature for the region.

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