By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 17: With Bookaroo, India’s oldest and largest children’s literature festival, all set to make its debut in Shillong, festival founder and director, Venkatesh M. Swamy, has maintained that even if a small fraction of children are inspired to pick up books after the sessions, the mission would be worth it.
Arriving in Shillong this weekend, the festival also marks its landmark 50th edition, dedicated to reviving the joy of reading at a time when children are drifting further from books in an age dominated by screens.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Swamy said that Bookaroo has never been about learning centres or academic rigour but about reading for pure pleasure.
He explained that despite changing reading habits, Bookaroo continues to bring children face-to-face with authors and storytellers, giving them the chance to listen, interact and get their books signed.
“The line-up has been carefully chosen to ensure that children go back with memories strong enough to push them toward more books,” he said.
It may be noted that the Bookaroo Festival in Shillong will host 22 authors and illustrators, ten of whom are from the city, while others come from places such as Imphal, Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad. Among the most awaited sessions is one with Savio Mascarenhas, the art director of Tinkle comics and creator of the iconic Shikari Shambu character.
The two-day programme will feature over 40 sessions.
September 19 has been designated as Schools’ Day, with select institutions invited to morning sessions, while September 20 will be an open day for families. The venue, Jyoti Sroat School under Bethany Society, was chosen for its inclusive ethos—something the organisers said reflects Bookaroo’s philosophy.
Meanwhile, festival co-director Swati Roy explained that the movement aims to make “reading for pleasure fashionable.”
Expressing gratitude to partners, publishers, educators and speakers, she stressed that the goal remains to help children read more, imagine more and create more.
Bookaroo’s Shillong edition also sets a record: thirteen of its 22 speakers are first-timers, making the programme especially fresh. The line-up features prominent names from across the Northeast, including writers, artists and storytellers from Shillong, Manipur, Nagaland, Assam and Sikkim, alongside speakers from metropolitan centres like Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi.
Since its inception in 2008, Bookaroo has travelled to 17 cities, including two overseas, and was recognised with the Festival of the Year Award at the London Book Fair’s International Excellence Awards. Organisers said its arrival in Shillong comes at a crucial moment—when the battle to keep books alive in young hands has never been tougher.