Patna (Bihar): The 41st edition of the CRD Patna Book Fair, organised at the historic Gandhi Maidan from December 5 to 16, 2025, once again reaffirmed its position as one of Bihar’s most significant cultural and literary gatherings. Adding a strong youth-centric dimension to the fair this year was the return of the Jaano Junction EPIC Show Dobara, presented in collaboration with Jaano Junction.
Built around the central theme “Wellness: A Way of Life,” the EPIC Show blended education, creativity and social consciousness, encouraging young participants to engage with contemporary concerns such as sustainability, wellness and innovation. The theme echoed the spirit of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, while remaining accessible and relevant to school students.
The Jaano Junction EPIC Show featured seven carefully curated competitive formats, each designed to nurture a different skill set among students.
The JJ EPIC Quiz, held on December 6, tested participants across a broad range of subjects including environment, current affairs and general awareness. The session was conducted by Kshitij Choudhary, CEO of Jaano Junction, who also served as the Quizmaster.
Entrepreneurial thinking took centre stage at JJ EPIC BizChamps, a business pitch competition that challenged students to present innovative ideas. The jury comprised Mr. Amitabh Pandey, Professor and Head of Communication Design at Anant National University, and Mr. Vikash Kumar, Managing Director of Jitban Supply Chain.
Storytelling found expression through JJ EPIC Kahanikar, where students explored themes of perseverance and self-belief. The competition was judged by noted literary figure Dr. Kumar Vimlendu Singh. Topics included “Where there’s a will, there’s a way” (English) and “मन के हारे हार है, मन के जीते जीत” (Hindi).
Music enthusiasts witnessed high-voltage performances during the JJ EPIC Festival of Bands, which featured the top three shortlisted bands selected after a rigorous screening process.
Critical thinking and articulation were on display during the JJ EPIC Debate Hindi & English.
Artistic expression was highlighted through JJ EPIC Kalakar, a painting competition judged by Mr. Amitabh Pandey, visual artist and Prof & Head of Communication Design at Anant National University. Themes varied by category: “I Love Books” for Classes 3–5, and “Learning is Fun” for Classes 6–8 and 9–12.
Adding a contemporary digital dimension was the JJ EPIC REEL Challenge, a short video-making competition that encouraged students to creatively interpret ideas around learning, awareness and social responsibility through the lens of social media storytelling. Celebrated photographer and content creator Mr. Saurav Anuraj served as the jury and interacted with the budding visual storytellers.
Beyond competitions, the EPIC Show also hosted a Citizen Townhall, featuring live podcast-style conversations with social impact leaders on the theme “Innovation for Change.”
The session was moderated by Kshitij Choudhary, CEO of Jaano Junction, along with Apoorw, Executive Producer at Jaano Junction.
The panel included Shikha Shabdita (Founder, Shisha and former Head of Group CSR, Reliance), Khushboo Singh(CEO, AdiRa Biocycle), Prashant Kumar (Social Artist and Founder, Centre for Resilience), along with Mrs. Manju Kumari and Mr. Rajendra, who shared grassroots perspectives on social transformation.
Reflecting on the scale and impact of the fair, Ratneshwar Pathak, President of CRD, remarked that the Patna Book Fair continues to evolve as a space where literature meets contemporary thought. He noted that the 41st edition stood out for its strong engagement with young minds and socially relevant themes.
Amit Jha, Convenor of the Patna Book Fair, appreciated the collaboration with Jaano Junction, stating that the partnership brought fresh momentum to the fair. He emphasised that such initiatives help bridge the gap between traditional literary spaces and the aspirations of the younger generation.
Sharing his thoughts, Kshitij Choudhary, CEO of Jaano Junction, said that the Patna Book Fair holds a special emotional connect for the people of the city. He expressed satisfaction at being able to contribute meaningfully to its legacy by creating platforms that celebrate creativity, dialogue and responsible citizenship. He also extended special thanks to Mr. Alvin Samuel Patole, Director, Sam Book Store, for supporting activities such as Kalakar and Kahanikar.
Over the course of the festival, the Jaano Junction EPIC Show Dobara saw enthusiastic participation from over 2,200 students representing more than 45 schools. Rather than focusing solely on winning, the events encouraged collaboration, curiosity and thoughtful engagement with real-world challenges.
Winners of the Jaano Junction EPIC Show:
Jaano Junction EPIC Quiz
1st Prize
St. Michael's High School
- Rishav Gautam, Shashwat Pandey, Vibhuti Vaibhav
2nd Prize
St. Dominic Savio's High School
- Abhishek Singh, Siddharth Soni, Uttam Kumar
Jaano Junction EPIC Debate - English
1st Prize
Notre Dame Academy
- Angel Jha, Rishu Priya
2nd Prize
St. Joseph's Convent High School
- Alvira Khan, Shivangi Agarwal
Jaano Junction EPIC Debate - Hindi
1st Prize
St. Joseph's Convent High School
- Sarosh Afreen, Anvi Singh
2nd Prize
BD Public School
- Naitik Shukla, Anushka Kumari
Jaano Junction EPIC BizChamps
1st Prize
St. Joseph's Convent High School
- Divya Singh, Sunriti Verma
2nd Prize
St. Michael's High School
- Ayushman Gupta, Shaurya Raj Singh, Prateek Mittal
BD Public School
- Riddhi Mishra, Tamanna Rani, Naincy Kumari
Jaano Junction EPIC Festival of Bands
Winner Band- Grayscale (from Litera Valley School)
- Tanisha Tanmya, Atulya Raj, Harsh Raj, Mudit Vihangam, Siddhi Vinayak
Jaano Junction EPIC Kalakar (Painting)
(Category 3 to 5)
1st Prize
- Astha Singh (DAV Public School, Khagaul)
2nd Prize
- Trisha (St. Karen's Primary School)
- Padma Mohnish (St. Karen's Primary School)
3rd Prize
- Rashmika Singh (DAV Public School)
- Somanshu Yadav (DAV Public School, Indrapuri)
- Saniya Perween (Al Burooj International School)
(Category 6 to 8)
1st Prize
- Amartya Singh (St. Michael's High School)
2nd Prize
- Aastha Singh (DAV Public School, Khagaul)
- Enakshi Mukherjee (St. Joseph's Convent High School)
3rd Prize
- Sparsh Raj (Manava Bharati International School)
- Swati Kumari (Kendriya Vidyalaya, Bailey Road)
- Jiya Singh (DAV Public School, Khagaul)
(Category 9 to 12)
1st Prize
- Anjana Arya (Notre Dame Academy)
2nd Prize
- Rajshree (St. Michael's High School)
- Raunak Rai ( DAV Public School, Khagaul)
3rd Prize
- Pragya Pratibha (St. Michael's High School)
- Ananya Sinha (Notre Dame Academy)
- Abhishek Kumar (Magadh International School, Tekari, Gaya)
Jaano Junction EPIC Kahanikar (Storywriting) English
(Category 3 to 5)
1st Prize- Rakshita Roushan (St. Karen's Primary School)
2nd Prize- Aadya Singh (St. Karen's Montessori School)
3rd Prize- Aradhya Arya (B.D. Public School)
(Category 6 to 8)
1st Prize- Pranshi Singh (St. Joseph's Convent High School)
2nd Prize- Enakshi Mukherjee (St. Joseph's Convent High School)
3rd Prize- Kavya Anand (St. Michael's High School)
(Category 9 to 12)
1st Prize - Kirthi Priyadarshini (St. Joseph's Convent High School)
2nd Prize - Ayesha Khan (Manava Bharati International School)
3rd Prize - Chandani Shrivastava (St. Joseph's Convent High School)
Jaano Junction EPIC Kahanikar (Storywriting) Hindi
(Category 3 to 5)
1st Prize- Tanysha Mehta (Foundation Academy)
2nd Prize- Aiza Anam (Al-Burooj International School)
3rd Prize- Drona Samvatsar (B. D. Public School)
(Category 6 to 8)
1st Prize- Aakriti Raj (Kilkari Bihar Bal Bhawan)
2nd Prize- Kavya Mattey (St. Joseph's Convent High School)
3rd Prize- Arya Singh (St. Joseph's Convent High School)
(Category 9 to 12)
1st Prize- Rishav Gautam (St. Michael's High School)
2nd Prize- Soumya Shivani (St. Joseph's Convent High School)
3rd Prize- Rajeev Ranjan (S.R. Vidyapeeth) and Aradhya Singh (St. Joseph's Convent High School)
Jaano Junction EPIC Reel Challenge
1st Prize- Pratyush Raj Ranjan, Aamir Rahman (Radiant International School)
2nd Prize- Anas Khan, Siddharth Vats (Radiant International School)
3rd Prize- Mansi Raj, Anya Kumari, Aarya Nandini (B.D. Public School)
The Prize Distribution Ceremony will be held on December 16, 2025, at the Main Stage, Patna Book Fair, from 2:30 PM onwards. Winners will be felicitated in the presence of senior administrators, including Patna Commissioner Shri Animesh Kumar Parashar, IAS, and Patna District Magistrate Dr. (Shri) Thiyagarajan S.M., IAS, who have conveyed their intent to attend and interact with the students.
All the winners are requested to report at the venue by 2:30PM.
Participation certificates will be issued to all participants. Students, guardians and school coordinators may collect certificates from Jaano Junction’s registration desk at the Book Fair premises between 4:30 PM and 6:00 PM on December 16.
As the Patna Book Fair draws to a close, the collaboration between CRD and Jaano Junction marks yet another meaningful chapter in the fair’s four-decade-long journey. By combining tradition with youthful perspectives, the EPIC Show reinforced the fair’s role not just as a literary destination, but as a vibrant forum for ideas, creativity and future-focused conversations.
The momentum generated this year sets the tone for an even more dynamic future, as the Patna Book Fair continues to grow as a beacon of culture, learning and social dialogue.