Pune, 22 December 2025: The Pune Book Festival, held from December 13 to 21, 2025, concluded on a high note, registering unparalleled qualitative and quantitative growth compared to last year.
The nine-day event emerged as a vibrant marketplace for books, showcasing publications from across India in multiple languages and attracting repeated visits from Punekars along with their families.
More than 12.5 lakh visits were recorded during the nine-day event, with weekends witnessing heavy crowds. Organisers noted that over 60 per cent of visitors were young readers, and family visits were a key highlight. The festival emerged as a vibrant national marketplace for books, offering publications from across India in multiple Indian languages.
Book sales crossed 30 lakh copies, generating an estimated ₹50 crore turnover. As many as 498 new titles were launched across more than 250 stalls. A dedicated children’s corner drew enthusiastic participation, while 400 schools and nearly 30,000 students visited the festival as part of educational initiatives.
The Literature Festival segment received an energetic response, with over 1,000 writers participating. Across six days, 32 speakers addressed packed audiences. Sessions by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, astronaut Sudhanshu Shukla, and author Akshat Gupta were among the highlights. Jaishankar praised the Pune Book Festival, calling it one of the best literature festivals in the country.
Fergusson College and Savitribai Phule Pune University contributed more than 450 student and teachers as volunteers and organization, while international visitors from the US and Dubai added a global dimension.
Organisers emphasised that the focus remained on book promotion rather than commercial profit, with year-long activities planned for publishers and book clubs.
The fourth edition of the Pune Book Festival is scheduled to be held from December 12 to 20, 2026, with organisers promising an even more structured and reader-focused experience.
"This year festival exceeded expectations and broke all previous records. Our aim was not just to grow in numbers. The focus now is on making next year’s festival more organised and enriching".
Rajesh Pande, Founder, Pune Book Festival
