Every year April 23 is celebrated as World Book and Copyright Day “to promote the enjoyment of books and reading,” as per UNESCO’s website. The celebrations take place across the world to honor and recognize the benefits of books.

“23 April is a symbolic date in world literature. It is the date on which several prominent authors, William Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. This date was a natural choice for UNESCO’s General Conference, held in Paris in 1995, to pay a worldwide tribute to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone to access books,” reads a statement on UNESCO’s website.

And so, on the occasion of World Book and Copyright Day, we asked some top Indian authors to share their earliest memory of a book that turned them into readers. Read on to know more.

Photo: Canva