Pune: The Pune Book Festival 2024 concluded on Sunday, December 22, with a historic achievement—the creation of the world’s largest online album of book cover images.
The effort, led by the Sakal Media Group in collaboration with Savitribai Phule Pune University, saw the participation of millions of readers worldwide. The initiative resulted in the verification of 11,11,238 unique book cover images, earning recognition from Guinness World Records.
Breaking the Previous Record
The record, previously held by China with 3,16,828 images, was surpassed by India by a staggering margin during the nine-day festival. This marks a proud moment for Pune, Maharashtra, and the nation as a whole.
A Collaborative Endeavor
Readers from across the globe enthusiastically contributed to the record attempt by uploading images of their favorite or rare book covers. Technical expertise was provided by Savitribai Phule Pune University, whose team meticulously verified over 17 lakh submissions to ensure accuracy. Artificial intelligence and data science tools were employed to eliminate duplicates and incorrect submissions.
Grand Celebration
The achievement was announced during the festival’s closing ceremony at Fergusson College Grounds, attended by prominent dignitaries including Maharashtra’s Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil and several university and media representatives. Balloons were released to mark the occasion, and the Guinness World Records officials handed over the certification to the organizers amidst applause from attendees.
Future Prospects
The university plans to analyze the data collected during the initiative to understand trends in reader preferences across different age groups. The findings are expected to shed light on the types of literature favored by readers and could provide valuable insights into India’s reading culture.
Rajesh Pandey, Main Organizer of Pune Book Festival: “This record is a testament to the power of collective effort and the enthusiasm of book lovers worldwide. It is a proud moment for India, and we aim to take this festival to even greater heights.”
Dr. Suresh Gosavi, Vice-Chancellor of Savitribai Phule Pune University: “This achievement underscores the importance of reading culture. The collected data will be analyzed to gain insights into reader preferences, ensuring the continued promotion of literature.”