ARINDAM GANGULY, OP
Bhubaneswar: In a groundbreaking initiative, book lovers from the Capital City embarked on a literary journey like no other, participating in India’s first-ever Flying Book Club. Organised by Walking BookFairs, in collaboration with IndiaOne Air, the event saw readers travelling to Jeypore in Koraput district while engaging in a silent reading session during the flight. The onboard library, featuring a curated selection of travel books from renowned Indian publishing house Speaking Tiger Books, offered passengers the joy of rediscovering physical reading.
The collection will change periodically, ensuring a fresh reading experience for frequent flyers. Akshaya Bahibala, writer and co-founder of Walking BookFairs, Satabdi Mishra, co-founder Walking BookFairs, Prem Garg, CEO IndiaOne Air, Nikhil Pavan Kalyan, Director of Horticulture, and members of the Walking BookFairs Book Club were present during the launch of the unique initiative. The Flying Book Club was a first-of-its-kind initiative wherein booklovers from Bhubaneswar travelled to Jeypore in Koraput district on an IndiaOne Air flight. On landing in Jeypore, the group engaged in discussions about the books they had read, shared their experiences, and met Koraput Collector V Keerthi Vasan. The day’s itinerary concluded with a return flight to Bhubaneswar.
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Marking its 10th anniversary, Walking BookFairs is hosting several initiatives to promote reading habits. Satabdi Mishra, co-founder of Walking BookFairs, highlighted the success of the Flying Library and announced the upcoming 2nd Walking BookFairs Travel Writing Festival in December, promising an enriching experience for literature enthusiasts. Prem Garg, CEO of IndiaOne Air, emphasised the unique charm of physical books, stating, “In smaller airlines like ours, where in-flight entertainment is absent, passengers often turn to personal devices. But no screen can replicate the timeless joy of holding a book—the scent of its pages, the rustle as you turn them, and the immersive escape they provide. Our Flying Book Club reconnects passengers with the simple pleasure of reading, bridging generations and reviving the golden era of books.” With this initiative, IndiaOne Air and Walking BookFairs have set a remarkable precedent in fostering a culture of book reading, making air travel a journey for both the body and the mind.
