Sharjah: Fourteen awarding-wining authors, journalists and social media stars from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will take part in the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), to be held November 3 to 13 at Expo Centre Sharjah.
They will be among global personalities who will lead a range of literary discussions during the 11-day book fair organised by the Sharjah Book Authority.
Joining SIBF 2021 from India is Amitav Ghosh, popular essayist and award-winning author of several contemporary classics including Sea of Poppies and The Calcutta Chromosome.
The Indian writers include, among others, Ravinder Singh, publisher, content creator and author of several bestselling works that have sold more than 3.5 million copies; Santhosh George Kulangara, publisher, entrepreneur and award-winning author in Malayalam; popular fiction writer and bestselling novelist Chetan Bhagat; and Arfeen Khan, author of The Secret Millionaire Blueprint.
Social issues
The 40th edition of SIBF has also attracted literary talents from Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Dr Arfa Sayeda Zehra, writer, educationist, and historian from Pakistan, will speak on the socio-cultural issues surrounding the empowerment of women. Also joining from Pakistan is Awais Khan, the critically acclaimed novelist of In the Company of Strangers, and No Honour.
Youngest author
Sanith, a Sri Lankan expat, will bring the perspective of youth to SIBF. The 13-year-old speaker and author of the books Tolerance for Happiness, An Anthology of Expressions and Thoughts of a Ten-Year-Old, will be the youngest author to head a forum at SIBF 2021.
Themed ‘There’s always a right book,’ the latest SIBF will see the participation of 1,576 publishing houses from 83 countries. More than 15 million books, including over 110,000 new, will be showcased.
