US participates as ?theme country? at Kolkata Book Fair

The United States of America will be the Theme Country at the 35th Kolkata Book Fair 2011, with a large pavilion at the Milon Mela grounds on the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass.

U.S. Ambassador Timothy J. Roemer will attend the Inaugural Ceremony and deliver the opening remarks while Pulitzer prize-winning American author, Richard Ford will inaugurate the fair and give the inaugural address.

The U.S. pavilion, built along the lines of the Capitol Building, Washington, D.C. will then be inaugurated by Roemer. Aside from a wide range of books that will be on display, the pavilion will also host a special section featuring the latest technological advances in publishing and electronic reading.

A host of eminent American personalities will bring America alive through discussions, book readings and performances.

On January 27, Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Ford, a leading figure among American writers of the post-World War II generation will deliver the Ashok Kumar Sarkar Memorial Lecture at the UBI auditorium on Extra Literary Influences.

Award-winning National Geographic photographer Annie Griffith Belt will speak on her book Simply Beautiful Photographs on January 28.

This will be followed by a slideshow of her photographs at the American pavilion.

On February 3, Akhil Sharma, PEN/Hemingway Award and the 2001 Whiting Writers? Award winner will give the Sushil Mukherjee lecture on the Immigrant Novel at the UBI auditorium followed by a discussion of his book, An Obedient Father at the American pavilion.

American Fulbright scholar, Jordan Pleasant will be reading translations of Bengali poet Jibanananda’s poems on January 29 at the pavilion.

The book fair will conclude with an energetic and exhilarating performance by The Havikoro Troupe, a Houston, Texas-based group of hip hop and break dancers.

?We will also host a laser show which will light up the night at the fairgrounds every evening with iconic images of the United States set to music,? said an official statement issued by the American Centre.

The laser show, a first for the Kolkata Book Fair, will be inaugurated by Ambassador Roemer as well.

Special Library memberships will be offered at discounted rates with attractive gifts for those who wish to register at the Book Fair.

The United States-India Foundation (USIEF) will hold regular counseling sessions at our pavilion and be on hand to answer queries about educational opportunities in the United States. Voice of America (VOA), the official external radio and television broadcasting service of the US government, will also be present.