‘Silence… Pune is Reading’ sees record 7.5 lakh participants
The campaign saw overwhelming participation from readers across age groups, workplaces and public spaces with organisers recording more than 135,000 photograph uploads by 5pm.
PUNE: The city transformed into one massive reading hall on Tuesday as thousands of Punekars pressed pause on their routines to grab a book and read it for an hour in response to the ‘Silence… Pune is Reading’ campaign, organised as a prelude to the upcoming Pune Book Festival 2025 in a bid to instil in people the habit of reading.
The campaign saw overwhelming participation from readers across age groups, workplaces and public spaces with organisers recording more than 135,000 photograph uploads by 5 pm even as the estimated total number of participants in the physical reading session crossed 7.5 lakh, in what is expected to create a Guinness World Record.
The reading activity was held between 11 am and 12 noon. During this hour, more than 70,000 participants submitted their photographs (while reading) online as they spent one hour of their time reading their favourite books. Women led the participation with a marginal yet notable majority, accounting for 52% of the entries; while men accounted for 48% of the entries. Young readers between the ages of 17 and 22 years formed the largest demographic, signalling a positive trend in reading habits among the youth.
Throughout Pune, the campaign turned everyday locations into quiet reading corners. Students read in schools, colleges and libraries; while office-goers participated in the event from corporate workspaces, IT parks and government offices. Public places such as metro stations, bus stops, railway platforms, religious sites and even autorickshaw stands saw enthusiastic involvement. Many institutions and social groups organised collective reading gatherings, with over 10,000 of the uploaded photographs depicting groups of 50 to 100 individuals reading together.
Notably, the movement travelled beyond the Pune city limits. At the ongoing winter legislative assembly session in Nagpur, lawmakers paused proceedings to take part in the initiative. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, higher and technical education minister Chandrakant Patil, union minister of state for civil aviation Murlidhar Mohol and several ministers, MLAs and MPs joined the reading activity, lending visible endorsement to the cause.
Academic leaders, spiritual figures, corporate heads and public personalities also participated, further expanding the cultural footprint of the initiative.
Books on history, biographies, inspirational writing and children’s literature were among the most popular genres. Some of the most-read titles included works on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Shyamchi Aai, Rich Dad Poor Dad, The Alchemist, Atomic Habits, Wings of Fire, Think and Grow Rich, The Power of Your Subconscious Mind and The Biography of Steve Jobs.
Speaking about the response, Rajesh Pande, chief organiser of the Pune Book Festival, described the event as more than just a reading exercise. “Reading is not merely a habit but a force that shapes thought and society,” he said.
“Every photograph uploaded today represents not just participation but a step towards building a culture of knowledge, critical thinking and intellectual strength. Our dream is to make Pune the reading capital of the country, and today’s response brings us closer to that vision,” Pande said.
Meanwhile, the Pune Book Festival 2025, organised by the National Book Trust (NBT), will be held from December 13 to 21 at the Fergusson College Grounds. With the city already resonating with the spirit of books and reading, expectations are high that the festival will become one of the most important events of Pune’s cultural calendar.
