Ahmedabad, May 19 (IANS): Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel attended the 151st edition of 'Namo Pustak Parab', a weekly book fair featuring over 3,000 books on various subjects.
Chief Minister Patel explored the diverse range of books and praised the initiative.
The 'Namo Pustak Parab,' inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and launched on July 4, 2021, aims to make reading a widespread habit.
MLA Mahesh Kaswala, who supports the initiative, highlighted the “influence of Prime Minister Modi's belief in the power of reading as the inspiration behind the event.
The weekly fair, set up on the footpath in Ahmedabad, attracts a large number of readers.
The collection includes books on religion, tourism, literature, engineering, science, poetry, and stories, offering something for everyone.
"The most remarkable aspect of this event is that there is no registration process for those who donate or borrow books. Despite this, we never run out of books. Families donate their books here, while readers and those in need borrow and return them after reading,” Kaswala said.
The Chief Minister during the event was gifted a copy of the Bhagavad Gita. He later shared his experience on social media, writing: "I had the good fortune to attend the 151st 'Namo Pustak Parab,' a reading event organised by MLA Mr. Maheshbhai Kaswala at Maninagar, Ahmedabad city, on Sunday."
The chief minister also engaged with the literary community and promoted the reading culture. He met young readers and Gujarati authors.