CM Bhupendra Patel Opens Ahmedabad International Book Festival 2026
Synopsis
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated the Ahmedabad International Book Festival 2026 at Sabarmati Riverfront on October 24, jointly organised by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and National Book Trust. Delhi LG Taranjit Singh Sandhu joined the event, where a Gujarati edition of a biography on Sikh freedom fighter Sardar Tejasinh Samundri was also released.
Key Takeaways
The Ahmedabad International Book Festival 2026 was inaugurated at Sabarmati Riverfront, Ahmedabad on October 24, 2026 .
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel presided over the inauguration jointly organised by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and the National Book Trust .
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Sardar Taranjit Singh Sandhu and State Minister Darshana Vaghela were present at the event.
A Gujarati edition of the biography 'Sardar Tejasinh Samundri: Jivan ane Varas' was released, honouring the SGPC founder and freedom fighter.
The National Book Trust , an autonomous body under India's Ministry of Education established in 1957 , co-organised the festival.
CM Patel and dignitaries toured the festival stalls and commended the overall organisation.
On the banks of the Sabarmati Riverfront, Ahmedabad, a festival of ideas came alive on Saturday, October 24, 2026 — as Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated the Ahmedabad International Book Festival 2026, a joint initiative of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and the National Book Trust.
Joining the Chief Minister at the inauguration were Delhi Lieutenant Governor Sardar Taranjit Singh Sandhu and State Minister for Urban Development Smt. Darshana Vaghelа, alongside other dignitaries — lending the event a notably cross-regional character that underscored its 'international' ambition.
A Gujarati Edition Honours a Sikh Freedom Fighter
The centrepiece of the inauguration beyond the ribbon-cutting was the release of the Gujarati edition of 'Sardar Tejasinh Samundri: Jivan ane Varas' — a biography dedicated to the life and legacy of Sardar Tejasinh Samundri, a freedom fighter who led the Gurdwara reform movement and founded the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). Bringing his story to Gujarati readers signals a deliberate effort to carry independence-era Sikh heritage across linguistic and cultural boundaries.
The presence of Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu at the launch of a book on a Punjabi-Sikh historical figure, in a Gujarati city, gave the release moment a symbolism that cut well beyond a routine book unveiling.
Sabarmati Riverfront: From Urban Project to Cultural Stage
The choice of Sabarmati Riverfront as the festival venue continues a trend of Gujarat deploying its flagship urban infrastructure for cultural programming. The riverfront — one of India's most ambitious urban waterfront redevelopments — has increasingly served as Ahmedabad's public square for marquee civic events.
The National Book Trust, established in 1957 under the Ministry of Education, is the federal engine behind the event's scale, bringing its national network of publishers and authors to a state-hosted stage. Chief Minister Patel and other dignitaries toured multiple stalls at the festival, publicly appreciating the breadth of the programming.
A book festival at a riverfront, a Sikh heritage title in Gujarati script, a Delhi LG at an Ahmedabad inauguration — Ahmedabad's literary calendar just got its biggest chapter yet.
Point of View
While the Gujarati release of a Sikh freedom fighter's biography is a pointed exercise in composite nationalism — delivering pan-Indian heritage to regional audiences in their own language. The attendance of Delhi's Lieutenant Governor adds a diplomatic texture unusual for a state-level book event, suggesting the festival is being positioned as something more than a local literary calendar fixture.
NationPress
24 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Ahmedabad International Book Festival 2026?
The Ahmedabad International Book Festival 2026 is a literary event jointly organised by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and the National Book Trust, inaugurated by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel at Sabarmati Riverfront on October 24, 2026.
Who inaugurated the Ahmedabad International Book Festival 2026?
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated the festival, with Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu and State Minister Darshana Vaghela also present at the ceremony.
Which book was launched at the Ahmedabad Book Festival 2026?
The Gujarati edition of 'Sardar Tejasinh Samundri: Jivan ane Varas', a biography of the Sikh freedom fighter and SGPC founder Sardar Tejasinh Samundri, was released at the inauguration.
Where is the Ahmedabad International Book Festival 2026 being held?
The festival is being held at the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
What is the National Book Trust's role in the Ahmedabad Book Festival?
The National Book Trust, an autonomous body under India's Ministry of Education established in 1957, co-organised the Ahmedabad International Book Festival 2026 alongside the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.
