Lucknow University: Gomti Book Festival 2026, 5th edition, was formally launched on Saturday, 12 September 2026, at Lucknow University Campus, which is an iconic institution. Hosted by the National Book Trust (NBT), India, a constituent body of the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Government of Uttar Pradesh and Lucknow University, the prestigious festival was inaugurated by Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, who attended as a chief guest of honor. The festival will run from 12 September 2026 to 20 September 2026 and provides free admission from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM on all days.
More than 250 book stalls set up by 120+ publishers from across India provide a plethora of books in different languages such as Hindi, English, Urdu, Awadhi, and many regional languages of India. As per the NEP 2020 vision, this year’s festival also includes interactive sessions with authors and panel discussions on various topics like youth literature, heritage, the Children's Pavilion with storytelling and puppet shows and India's national digital library, Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya.
Gomti Book Festival 2026: Key Highlights
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Dates & Timings: From September 12 to September 20, 2026, opening everyday for everyone between 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
Free Admission & Book Stalls: Admission is entirely free for everyone. There are more than 200 to 250 book stalls showcasing works by more than 120 publishers across India.
Books Available In Multiple Languages: Available books belong to multiple genres in Hindi, English, Urdu, Awadhi, and other major languages of India.
Access To Digital Library: Participants can visit the Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya (National Digital Library of India) stall, which offers free access to thousands of e-books.
Notable Guests: Interactive sessions will be held with astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, folk singer Malini Awasthi, writer Shantanu Gupta, among other prominent authors and personalities.
Cultural & Kids' Activities: Features a dedicated Kids’ Pavilion for storytelling, puppet shows, quizzes, and daily Kathak dance and theatre performances in the evenings.
Books, Publishers, and a Mix of Languages
The Gomti Book Festival 2026 held at Lucknow University is an annual book fair in honor of literature in a range of languages. The festival is organized by the inclusion of more than 250 stalls and 120 publishers from all over India, which includes a large number of books published in Hindi, English, Urdu, Awadhi, and various other languages of India.
It represents the inclusionary spirit of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which promotes reading in different cultures through a wide range of literature.
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