Goethe-Institut Kolkata at the 49th International Kolkata Book Fair 2026

The 49th International Kolkata Book Fair will take place from 22 January to 3 February 2026 at Boimela Prangan, Salt Lake. The book fair is one of the largest literary events worldwide and attracts millions of visitors every year. In 2026, Argentina will be featured as the focal theme country, shaping the main cultural program. 
The Goethe-Institut Kolkata continues its consistent presence at the fair and invites visitors to explore German language, literature, and culture. At our booth, you will find information about learning German, studying and working in Germany, and a variety of engaging cultural programmes.
Our planned activities include:
• Discussions and interactive formats
• Readings and workshops for children and adults
• Encounters with authors and cultural practitioners
• Activities highlighting contemporary literature and media


Programme Overview

24 January (Saturday)

3:00–5:00 PM
INK IN REAL TIME: Live Art Wall
With Debasish Deb (Live)
Venue: Goethe-Institut Pavilion


26 January (Monday)

3:00–5:00 PM
INK IN REAL TIME: Live Art Wall
With Debasish Deb (Live)
Venue: Goethe-Institut Pavilion

5:00–6:00 PM
Meet the Author: Ingo Schulze
Readings by Ingo Schulze and discussions with Romit Roy
Venue: Press Corner


28 January (Wednesday)

12:00–1:00 PM
Arts for Juniors – Buch-Booked: Momo by Michael Ende (in Bangla)
With ThinkArts
Venue: Goethe-Institut Pavilion

1:30–2:30 PM
Arts for Juniors – Buch-Booked: Momo by Michael Ende (in Bangla)
With ThinkArts
Venue: Goethe-Institut Pavilion

6:00–7:00 PM
Book Launch: Heinrich Heine – Translations by Alokeranjan Dasgupta
Venue: Goethe-Institut Pavilion


29 January (Thursday)

6:00–7:00 PM
Book Launch: Peter Bichsel in Translation
Venue: Goethe-Institut Pavilion


30 January (Friday)

12:00–1:00 PM
Reading: Lippel’s Dream by Paul Maar
With Annika Hartmann
Venue: Goethe-Institut Pavilion


31 January (Saturday)

4:00–5:30 PM
Tagore in Germany – A Symphony of Cultures
With Korak Basu, Rinadolon Bandyopadhyay, Srimoyee Bhattacharya, and Hriddhi Sengupta


1 February (Sunday)

12:00–1:00 PM
Reading: Timm Thaler by James Krüss
With Annika Hartmann
Venue: Goethe-Institut Pavilion

1:30–2:30 PM
Arts for Juniors – Buch-Booked: Why We Took the Car by Wolfgang Herrndorf
With ThinkArts
Venue: Goethe-Institut Pavilion


2 February (Monday)

4:00–5:30 PM
Book Launch: Documentary Theatre in India: Assembling Publics; Performing Politics
With Anuja Ghosalkar, Kai Tuchmann, and Soumyabrata Choudhury
Moderated by Trina Nileena Banerjee

5:30–8:00 PM
Into Words – Light Art Installation by Philipp Geist
Venue: Goethe-Institut Pavilion


3 February (Tuesday)

From 5:30 PM onwards
Book Launch: Corridors in Bengali
With Sarnath Banerjee
Venue: Goethe-Institut Pavilion


Stall number: F9

All are welcome.