|
Asia-Pacific Pandemic-Hit Book Publishers Eye for Openings Special Correspondent
The participants were in unanimous that the pandemic had severely affected the publication industry including the physical newspapers but at the same time it helped to increase the number of committed readers precisely among the new generation. They opined that the process of publication and marketing of Assamese books also reemerged with new approaches to the technology driven profession for the interest of valued readers.Inaugurating the session, Assam based senior publisher Nabin Baruah thoroughly described the hardship faced by the publication houses as the corona-pandemic hit the country in early March. He however opined that the disaster helped everyone to redefine his life in a tricky and isolated ambience. Many people could regain their habit of reading and many others join the group of committed readers irrespective of the paper-printed books or digital outlets, stated Baruah.
First, it was the rumour that newspapers carry the corona-virus which discouraged senior citizens to read their favourite papers and secondly most of the newsy contents now remain available in digital platforms on the previous day itself. Editors may have to change the approach to news for the survival of newspapers, was my observation.Guwahati Granthamela (30 December 2020 to 10 January 2021) attracted thousands of book lovers every day with its over 125 stalls where the entry was made free by the organizer, Asom Prakasan Parisad. The State-run publication board had to postpone the book fair because of political unrests in 2019 and also the pandemic in early this year. A number of literary discussions, book release functions and spectacular cultural evenings made the ambience enthralling. Formally inaugurated by Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal¡¯s media adviser Hrishikesh Goswami in presence of noted intellectual Tathagata Roy, renowned litterateur Yeshe Dorjee Thongshi with other dignitaries the book fair brought desired reliefs to the publishers and delights to bookworms. The festival venue at Assam Engineering Institute playground in Chandmari locality of the city maintained necessary health protocols related to the corona-crisis. Representing CM Sonowal in the function, Goswami conveyed the goodwill to everyone commenting that books are the oasis in deserts which nurtures the intellectual and creative capacities of human beings. He also conferred Prakasan Parisad¡¯s lifetime achievement award for 2019 carrying a citation, corsets, two lakh rupees check, etc on eminent Assamese scholar Dr Thaneswar Sarma in presence of all dignitaries.Former Governor of Tripura, Meghalaya & Arunachal Pradesh, Roy in his speech termed Assamese as a sweet language and expressed hope that the bonhomie between Assamese and Bengali people would continue in future too. A resident of West Bengal but familiar with the Assamese society, the outspoken author observed that the National Education Policy 2020 should immensely help in highlightinthe regional languages and their literature.Padmashri Thongshi, who is a resident of neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh, described various challenges surfaced due to the corona-pandemic. The Sahitya Academy awardee derived a positive note out of the pandemic with the increase of quality readers across the world. Thongshi expressed happiness that a collection of literary pieces including novels, short stories, folk tales, etc written in both Assamese and English by another Arunachali litterateur Lumber Dai was released in the function.A stall dedicated to the Bangladesh literature and another showcasing the Tibetan culture add colours to the book fair. The freedom movement led by exile Tibetans against the Communist regime in Beijing also comes alive in the stall which was opened by Tibetan support group leader RK Khrimey and managed by Buddha enthusiast Soumyadeep Datta.Its highlights included the message of Tibet being India¡¯s real neighbour (not China) and probable devastations in the Brahmaputra with Beijing¡¯s environmental intervention in the mineral rich land. Among various books, the creative pieces penned by young writers received satisfactory responses from the visitors at Granthamela. A number of reprinted Assamese books by Prakasan Parisad also enjoyed visible demands. Two important translation-works related to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were sold in large numbers. The Assamese version of Modi¡¯s popular letters to his mother titled ¡®Aailoi Chithi¡¯ along with the translations of PM¡¯s weekly radio program titled ¡®Mon Ki Baat¡¯ as ¡®Mor Priya Deshbasi¡¯ drew instant attentions of book lovers.¡°We are happy to witness the massive gathering of visitors at the book fair venue. The participating stalls have sold books for crores of rupees,¡± said Pramod Kalita, secretary to the publication board, which launched the book fair movement in early eighties initially in collaboration with National Book Trust of India, adding that the appreciation of book lovers encouraged the publication board to reprint many rare pieces as well as new creations involving the established as well as promising authors. ![]() When Sarsanghchalak Emphasises on Nature ... Worshiping Motherland as a Deity: An Indian ... Durga Puja sans Idols at Kamakhya Temple Searching for Roots through a Literature ... Welcome to Pragjyotishpur Literature Festival Questioning Credibility of Editors Guild of ... When 177 Global Leaders Stand behind Prof. ... Manifesting Patriotism on I-Day Raising Demand for a Media Grievance Cell India: Rhetoric Boycott Call by Separatist ... Banning Polygamy with Consensus No End to NRC Controversy Protecting Rhinos in Manas National Park When Scribes Face Corruption Charges and ... Complainant to Re-approach Court on NRC Assam ... My Unforeseen Journey as a Scribe Converting Profit Hungry APDCL to Consumer ... Dreaming of a World with Three Zeros After Two Years of Military Coup Myanmar Heads ... When India¡¯s Highest Court Faces an Unwanted ... Riding City Buses in Guwahati When Rumour Kills a Mainstream Newspaper! Dissecting Assam NRC for Better Understanding Vehicular Speed That Kills Millions of Indians ... Intriguing Debate on Automobile Mishap Projecting Guwahati as a Krira Prangan New York Times: Editions, Visibility, ... Northeast Celebrates I-Day with Full Patriotic ... Marching Ahead with the Spirit of Swatantra ... Time for Journalists to Be Cautious, Authentic ... Prakash: Throwing Light on Tibetan Literature ... When Repeated FIRs Lodged against an IAS ... Developing Guwahati as a people-friendly city Negating PSO Culture among Media Persons Losing Public Goodwill: Assam Media's Way Global Award to Journalist Nava Thakuria India¡¯s Restive Region Sets to End 2021 ... RSS Condemns Islamist Attacks on Hindu ... When RSS Chief Bhagwat Articulates Agendas Let¡¯s Talk about Self-Reform and Financial ... 'Self-reform and Financial Transparency in ... Tibet Sympathizers to Lodge Protest against ... Prof. Yunus Receives Laurel, Bangladesh Adds ... India Practices Secularism, Democracy and ... Needed a Scientific Probe into Bamunipahar ... India: Persisting Vulnerability to Scribes Bharat: Nurturing Nationalism with National ... POK Editor Bats for More Exchanges Cries Mounted for Reviving Nabin Chandra ... Scam, Media Outburst and Its Aftermath Amidst Chinese Threat Dalai Lama Concludes ... Asserting Media Person¡¯s Rights in India China¡¯s Myanmar Bonanza Sans Responsibility Manufacturing Misguided Protests in Assam Assam Forum Bats for Work Permits to ... Bhupen-da Came alive with Dhola-Sadiya Bridge ... Remembering My Principal Sir! Saluting Tricolour to Defy Militants¡¯ Diktat ... Underlining India¡¯s Productive Engagement in ... A Conservator Constitutional Head in Northeast ... Young Journalist Killed in India, ... Unpaid Media Employees of Northeast India Journalist Body Urges Political Parties to ... Saving the Tigers from Extinction Glorious Tribute to Bhupenda Burmese Students Term New Government Bogus Burma Turns Hostile to Indian Separatist Groups Northeast India Rediscovers Tricolour Indian People¡¯s Win Inspires Burmese Activists Nobel Support for a Noble Cause Activists Condemn India¡¯s Arm Deal with Burma Protest Note from Guwahati Press Club Journalists¡¯ Killings: Justice Eludes in ... Games Gogoi Played In Assam Polls Remembering Parag: Assam¡¯s Way Helicopter Missing from Northeast Indian Sky Allegations Poured on Indian Premier Allegations Fired at Indian Premier Rising Resentment against Corruption in India Satellite News Channel Launched in Northeast ... Looking at Burma's Forthcoming General ... Burma Election, Refugees and Media¡¯s Role When British Newspaper Tenders Apology to ... TST Contributor Honored with Excellence Award Burning Rhino Horns: Creating Controversy Condemning Military Election in Burma Protest against Military Election in Burma Burmese Demonstrates Anger against Junta Assam: A Pretending Warrior and Peace ... Southeastern Bangladesh Erupts in Violence Grim Picture of Human Rights in India Burma on Radar as New Delhi Prepares for ... Assam: Where People Defy Militant's Diktat Bangladesh Readies to Hang Bangabandhu Killers International Film Festival Begins in Guwahati RK Pachauri under Attack from British Media Selling News Space Culture in India: Concerns ... Asian MPs Insist on a Free & Fair 2010 Burma ... Guwahati Festival to Highlight Terrorism Assam: Brutal Armed Group, Incompetent ... Without Suu Kyi, 2010 Polls Have No Meaning Beijing Eyes Northeast India ! Bumpy Road to Copenhagen Nava Thakuria Elected Assistant Gen. Sec. of ... Northeast India: People Defy Militant¡¯s ... Northeast India: Waiting for Justice for 18 ... Northeast India : Where Protector Turns Killer Raising Support for Democracy in Burma Indian Muslims Raise Voices for Uighurs Will Captive Breeding of Vultures Work? Northeast India: Trailing a Notorious Rebel Is Burma Junta Learning from Cyclone Nargis! Is a Nepali Fugitive Winning Indian Election? When Politician Uses Scribe for Vested Interest Assam Editor Killing: Protest Continues Freedom under Chinese Boot in Tibet Pride and Poverty: India's Amazing Blending Sri Lankan Crisis: Shelling on Hospital ... Northeast India Defies Militant's Diktat: Woman Journalist Killed in Nepal Urging for Insurance Coverage to Media Persons Bangladesh: Waiting for a Stable Democratic ... ULFA Leader Appeals UNHCR for Political Asylum Assam Mourns Death of Mumbai Terror Attack When an Assamese Magazine Rejects ... Bangladesh Polls: Apprehension on Final Outcome Manipur Asks for CBI Probe into Scribe's ... Scribe's Killing in Northeast: Demand for ... 'Suspend Burma from BIMSTEC' Guwahati Citizens Meet to Discuss Terrorism Group Clashes Shock Northeast India When Media Distorts Facts to Manufacture News Where Editors Swindle Reporters Calling upon Comprehensive Packages for ... Highlighting Media's Challenge and ... Media on Media' Glitch: An Exercise of ... An Ignited Assam Baffles ULFA Assam Defies Militant's Diktat to Celebrate ... Journalists Dare to Defy Militants' Diktat When Bangladeshi Influx Ignites Assam Nepal Can Expect a Consensus of Government Soon Victorious Maoists Lose Battle for Kathmandu India: Assam Party Waits for an Opportunity Burma after Nargis: Devastated, Depressed and ... When a Disastrous Regime Continues Exposing Corrupt Journalists of Our Time Nepal Waits a Republic Regime: Diasporas Don't ... Waiting for Consensus on Government in Nepal Condemnation Pours on Burmese Junta as Suu ... American-Assamese Preparing White Paper on ... Assam Government Bows Down to Public Outrages Shaky Start to Druk Democracy India and Burma Push Joint Project Bhutan Turns Democratic Disregarding Public Outcry: Assam Government's ... Army, Police Heads Become Governors in North ... Rhinos Dwindle as Poaching Thrives in India Taste of Democracy in Bhutan Is Not for ...
|
The Seoul Times,
Shinheung-ro 36ga-gil 24-4,
Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Korea
04337 (ZC) Office: 82-10-6606-6188 Email:seoultimes@gmail.com Publisher & Editor: Joseph Joh Copyrights 2000 The Seoul Times Company ST Banner Exchange |