India, Dec. 23 -- What started as a modest literary effort has evolved into one of the country's largest book festivals. The Pune Book Festival, organised by the National Book Trust (NBT) at Fergusson College grounds from December 13 to 21, wrapped up this year with an estimated turnover exceeding Rs.50 crore, registering a sharp rise from last year, organisers said.

Festival director Rajesh Pande noted that the scale of participation reflected a significant shift in reading habits, especially among young people.

"The response has been overwhelmingly positive. The festival has moved beyond Marathi literature to become a national book mela, featuring publications from across India in multiple languages," he said at a press conference on ...