25th NEYVELI BOOK FAIR INAUGURATED BY HON’BLE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF PUDUCHERRY

The landmark 25th book fair (the Silver Jubilee Edition) organized by NLC India Limited (NLCIL) was inaugurated today, 19.06.2026, by the Hon'ble Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, Shri K. Kailashnathan, IAS (Retd.)

Shri Prasanna Kumar Motupalli, CMD, NLCIL, Functional Directors of NLCIL, Dr. Suresh Chandra Suman, Director (Mines), Shri Samir Swarup, Director (HR), Dr. Prasanna Kumar Acharya, Director (Finance), Shri Rajesh Pratap Singh Sisodia, Director (P&P) and (Power) AC, Executive Directors, Senior executives, Employees, representatives of OBC Welfare Association, SC/ST Welfare Federations, WIPS, Teachers, Students and the public participated.

The “Neyveli Book Fair 2026”, the most significant literary event in Cuddalore and surrounding districts, celebrates the Silver Jubilee this year, having a humble beginning in 1998.

In his Presidential address, Shri Prasanna Kumar Motupalli, CMD, NLCIL, credited the Neyveli Book Fair as being the best in the country in terms of arrangements and facilities for visitors. He recalled how Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, the former President of India, had expressed his wish to visit the Neyveli Book Fair, a testimony to its rich reputation. He expressed his satisfaction that students were benefitting from the Book Fair. Last year, 30,000 students from Neyveli Township and more than 70,000 students from nearly 1000 schools around Neyveli visited the Book Fair. He also thanked the Lt. Governor for his suggestions offered for the overall growth of NLCIL.

Shri K. Kailashnathan, Hon’ble Lt. Governor, in his Chief Guest address, offered his tribute to  Shri Jambulinga Mudaliar, the landlord who donated his lands for the establishment of NLCIL company. He stated that he was proud to be a part of the Neyveli Book Fair in its Silver Jubilee year. Book Fairs are a source of promoting the reading habit among children. Reading encourages knowledge and knowledge in turn helps in acquiring skills which are most essential to realise the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047, he said. He appreciated NLCIL for fulfilling its social obligations through initiatives like the conduct of the Book Fair.  The Hon’ble                  Lt. Governor also suggested that the Book Fair be upgraded to a literary festival.

A book penned by Shri Prasanna Kumar Motupalli, CMD, NLCIL titled “Perfect Take Off: Leadership & Workplace Principles”, a guide consisting of 25 important principles for professionals to build their career, was released on the occasion.

A grand Light music programme was organised later in the evening.

The Neyveli Book Fair will go on for ten days and will end on 29.06.2026.