7th Odisha State Book Festival to Begin on December 6

Bhubaneswar:4/12/25:The Seventh Odisha State Book Festival will begin on 6th December at the Unit-3 Exhibition Ground in Bhubaneswar and will continue till 17th December 2025. The event is being organised by the Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department.This year, 550 stalls will be set up, with participation from nearly 250 publishers and booksellers. Six international publishing houses will also take part in the festival.

Two theme pavilions will be created, one dedicated to Odisha’s women freedom fighters and another on the life of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The main entrance gate of the festival will be named after eminent freedom fighter Maa Ramadevi, the main stage after celebrated writer Ramakanta Rath and the inner entrance gate will be named after poet Bhima Bhoi.

Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi will formally inaugurate the State Book Festival on 6th December.
Booker Prize winner (2022), Shehan Karunatilaka, author of The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, will attend the inaugural ceremony as a guest. Jnanpith Awardee and distinguished writer Dr. Pratibha Ray will also grace the occasion.

Speaking about the festival, Culture Minister Shri Suryabanshi Suraj said that this year’s Odisha State Book Festival will place special emphasis on freedom fighters and literary contributions of eminent writers. He added that the theme pavilions on Odisha’s women freedom fighters and the life of Sardar Patel will be among the major attractions. National and international publishing houses, along with leading literary figures, will participate in the event. The Minister expressed confidence that the festival will further enrich Odisha’s reading culture and literary environment.

A dedicated Coffee Corner will be set up to facilitate interactions between writers and readers. Attractive food stalls and selfie points will also be added to enhance the visitor experience. Several newspapers, government departments, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, National Book Trust, and many other organisations will set up stalls at the festival. The event is being organised with support from the Odisha Book Publishers and Sellers Association, Odisha Publishers Association, Dhauli Book Trust, Bhubaneswar Book Fair Committee, and several publishers and booksellers from within and outside the state.