In a historic moment for India, Pune etched its name in the 'Guinness World Record books' by hosting the largest reading activity in collaboration, beating out China.
On December 14th, 2023, from 8-10am at SP College, a total of 3,066 parents gathered to read aloud to their children, creating a magical atmosphere and etching their names in history. The previous record, held by China, stood at 2,884 simultaneous readers.
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), along with the Maharashtra government, Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), National Book Trust (NBT), and Sir Parashurambhau (SP) College organized the event with the aim of setting a Guinness World Record.
This remarkable feat, organized by the National Book Trust as part of the Pune Book Festival, saw parents immersed in reading aloud from the book "निसर्गाचा नाश करू नाका" by Kshipra Shahane for a thrilling three minutes.
Commissioner Vikram Kumar, Assistant Commissioner Vikas Dhakne, actress Prajakta Mali and many other famous artists attended the event. Additionally, present at the event are SPPU Vice Chancellor Dr Suresh Gosavi, Prasenjit Fadnavis, NBT India Director Yuvraj Malik, renowned entrepreneur Suryakant Kakade, President of SP Mandali Adv SK Jain, Vice President Shrikrishna Chitale, Rajesh Pandey of Pune Book Fest, and former Mayor Murlidhar Mohol.
"This success serves as an inspiration not just for Pune, but for the entire nation, to prioritize reading and make it a cornerstone of family life," said NBT India Director Yuvraj Malik.
About Pune Book Festival
Pune Book Festival is holding the event starting December 16 to 24 at the Fergusson College Grounds.The festival saw an extensive collection of books in multiple languages including Marathi, Hindi, English, Gujarati, Kannada, among others.
Alongside literary sessions, there are dedicated sections for children and youth, talent showcases, cultural performances, and more.With an expected turnout of over five lakh visitors, the festival will host an array of 200 book stalls, catering to diverse reading interests.
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