Digital Marketing – The Greatest Revolution of the Decade Evolution has been and will always be a mammoth term to properly describe. Since the evolution of the digital age, the heavy changes have been brought in the marketing sector. The steep and sudden growth of digital marketing has surprised the business world and shook personal lives of people, by changing the trajectory of marketing… Read More

What does the future hold for the academic publishing business in India? Indian publishing industry is growing stronger day by day. With the present insights, the Indian publishing sector is the third largest nation in English language publishing and the sixth largest nation in book publishing. With time technology has transformed the publishing industry both inside and out, but the next big question is will the publishing… Read More

New Delhi World Book Fair 2019 The New Delhi World Book Fair (NDWBF), which has been one of the biggest events in the publishing industry for over 45 years, is back. The fair is organized by National Book Trust, India and is a 9-day affair held from 5th January 2019 to 13th January 2019 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. Inaugurated in… Read More

Digital Marketing Trends that are taking over 2019 In this tech-driven world where our wake-up routines begin with e-newsletters and our nightly routines end with social notifications and subscribed emails, the technology has pierced through almost every part of our lives. From controlling home machines through an application to voice ordering a speaker to play your favourite music, innovation is all over the… Read More

Technology — A Boon or a Bother for the Children? Today’s youth is called GenTech and for a good reason because the Internet has become a very important part of a child’s life. With the wonders that it has done to the world, it has a downside too. The youth of today has become severely, unapologetically attached to the internet for even the basic needs.… Read More

Sharjah International Book Fair 2018 A book fair that soon turned into a literary carnival, the 2018 edition of Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) was attended by a number of book lovers from various nations. Aimed to create a global reading community by advocating its benefits among children, establish book fairs as an oasis of knowledge and enlightenment, and promote… Read More

Frankfurt Book Fair 2018 Frankfurt Book Fair a very engaging social and cultural event that connects the print and digital content business worldwide. This prestigious event was back this year with its seventieth book fair that lasted five days with publishing experts, writers and cultural enthusiast from all around the globe in Frankfurt, where people network, connect, collect information,… Read More

Afro – Asian Book Conclave 2018 An event to evaluate and plan the achievement of intellectual self-reliance through mutual assistance and cooperation between Africa and Asia in authorship and publishing, Afro-Asian Book Conclave (AABC) was organised in Delhi by Afro-Asian Book Council, Capexil, Federation of Indian Publishers and Indian Reprographic Rights Organisation. Themed around ‘Book Publishing and Printing – Opportunities and… Read More

Award for Excellence in Book Production – 2018 The stage was set, and all the nominees were nailed to their seats for the one event that every Indian publisher looks forward to – the Awards for Excellence in Book Production. Organised during the Delhi Book Fair on August 30, the event is aimed at motivating distributors to enhance production in terms of both… Read More

Delhi Book Fair 2018 Organised by India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), and supported by Federation of Indian publishers (FIP), the 24th Delhi Book Fair was held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from August 25, 2018 to September 2, 2018. Nearly 120 exhibitors displayed their products and services at the event in Hall No. 7 – ABC, D, E, and… Read More

Education Reforms: A Necessity In India Time and again there has been one sure thing that our country has continuously failed in and that is reforming the education sector. 72 years of independence and we still see reports claiming that close to 50% of class V students are not able to read text meant for class II students, which is a… Read More

Entrepreneurship- The Rocky Road For Startups Entrepreneurs usually start with a small setup, owing to uncertainties and various risk factors. To begin with, there are ample challenges faced by a startup be it big or small, one of which is the dynamic business environment. However, the boom of consumerism and digital explosion has, over the years, completely turned around the existing… Read More

Indian Startup Ecosystem – Good | Bad | Ugly All that’s rosy isn’t really ripe! Get that, did you? Well, am talking here about the different shades of the startup ecosystem. The good, the bad, and the ugly. In my last blog Indian Startup Ecosystem- A Bird’s-eye View, I majorly discussed the brighter side of the startup world in India, on how everything is… Read More

Indian Startup Ecosystem- A Bird’s-eye View Every cover story, every article, and every feature has just one big glorified story- the story behind a successful startup. However fancy success may seem like, the hard work behind it is equally challenging. Ola, Flipkart, Paytm, Snapdeal, Grofers, etc. are some of the big players in the startup world that initiated with a simple… Read More

India- A Strong Market for Academic Publishing India is one of the largest populated countries in the world. With a population of 1.32 billion, India ranks second after China. With a population so large, there are both challenges, as well as opportunities in every sector. Talking about the publishing landscape in India, the market is comparatively large and holds vast potential, all… Read More

World of Books on World Book Day World Book Day is observed around the globe on 23rd April to celebrate the magical power of books and reading. It is also a celebration of authors, illustrators, publishers and everyone associated with literature and the process of converting thoughts & ideas into a tangible book. We all know how important books are in our… Read More

Reimagining Future with Reading Culture April was a busy month, and I fool you not! I’ve been hopping around places doing something I love the most- attending book fairs, meeting my fellow publishers, the audience we direct our efforts to cater to, and building connections that we hope, last for decades. My journey began with the London Book Fair 2018,… Read More

IRRO 13th Annual General Meeting- Meet The Governing Body As individual publishers, we have many ethical, social, economical and cultural responsibilities to fulfill. At times, however, it takes more than an individual to take a stand. When an individual’s efforts aren’t enough, there comes about the need for a more collective effort. Apex bodies like International Publishers Association, Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP), Afro… Read More

India Lacks Sports Culture not Spirit I have always been a fan of sports, especially cricket. While sportsmen feel the adrenaline rush of performing within an arena, we as spectators and fans couldn’t relate to the thrill any less. From gully cricket to Olympics, sportsmanship can be witnessed from a very basic, to larger than life level among one and all.… Read More

How is technology changing the publishing landscape? Technology has been disrupting every sector, and when it comes to publishing, it is no different! There has been a significant shift in the entire publishing landscape with the introduction of new technology. With change comes challenges, but to adapt and evolve into something better or become obsolete is a choice that remains. If you… Read More

Evolution of Indian Book Export Market India has a rich literary heritage. Some of the most distinguished authors include Rabindranath Tagore, Amir Khusro, Abul Fazl, Ziauddin Barani, and A.K. Ramanujan amongst several others. Literary works in Marathi, Odia, Tamil, Bengali, Urdu apart from just English language have paved way for carving out a niche for themselves. Around 20th century with the… Read More

30th CBSE Principals’ Conference – Uplifting Education New year. New opportunities. New experiences! Indeed, 2018 kicked off on a high note for me…. with a trip to Chennai for the 30th CBSE Principals’ Conference – a yearly event covering 165 schools of the Gulf region. The Kuwait Chapter hosted the event this time. Themed on ‘Education for Sustainable Development and Peace’, the… Read More

32nd International Publishers Congress – Day 2 Much like the first day that was packed with amazing events and activities for all, Day 2 of the International Publishers Congress too witnessed a lot of fun and excitement. Social Responsibility of Publishers The first session was chaired by Hugo Setzer with panelists Dipendra Manocha, Henrique Mota, Baldeo Bhai Sharma and Dr. Sadhana Rout.… Read More

32nd International Publishers Congress – Day 1 My previous blog Bringing Publishing Experts Under One Roof summed up the entire event with all the major highlights. However, this event had much more to its credit, and which is why I would like to share it all with you. Let’s begin with Day 1 of the 32nd IPA Congress. India is synonymous with… Read More

A year summed up in one moment! After a year full of extensive planning with emphasis on the minutest of details, the 32nd International Publishers Congress finally took off on a high note! It’s overwhelming to see a plethora of publishers and stakeholders from around the world gathered at one platform to exchange ideas, concerns and remedies. With nearly 300 delegates participating,… Read More

Bringing Publishing Experts Under One Roof The Indian publishing industry witnessed one of the major international events this February. Hosted by the Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP), the 32nd IPA International Publishers Congress came back with a bang. It was an amazing experience being a part of this phenomenal 3-day event as an organising member. Beginning on a high note, the… Read More

An Insight: Indian Book Market If you are a reader, author, book lover or publisher, this piece of information is just for you. Indian book market is growing at an impressive rate. According to a survey conducted by the National Book Trust of India 2010, one-fourth of the young population with an astonishing figure of 83 million is identified as… Read More

Copyright: How protected is your work? Getting books published is a well-known struggle for authors. But what comes next is the threat of piracy. Being in the publishing industry, we receive many manuscripts as part and parcel of the publishing house life. Earlier, manuscripts used to be handwritten, so proving ownership was easier. With the advent of digitisation, manuscripts are compiled… Read More

32nd IPC – Bringing Publishers Together A unique blend of innovation and experience, the International Publishers Association presents the 32nd International Publishers Congress. With only two days to go, I’m really excited about the IPA Congress that will take place in Taj Diplomatic Enclave, New Delhi. FIP is hosting the IPA Congress in India this year. Having staged it first in… Read More

Sneak Peek: New Delhi World Book Fair 2018 New Delhi World Book Fair (NDWBF) has always been an important event not only for bibliophiles but also publishers & authors. The much awaited 8-day extravaganza began on January 6, 2018. Much to the book lovers’ delight, an overwhelming participation from over 20 EU countries with delegation of publishers, editors and authors was seen this… Read More

Story of Indian Comics Retold From growing up listening to bedtime stories from parents to narrating the same as a parent myself, the only thing constant is – storytelling. Talk about childhood memories of stories, and we can’t keep away the excitement that the colourful comics always brought into our lives. Comics are graphic representations of stories, and can be… Read More

CAPEXIL: What’s the fate of the 6 Panel Elections? Moving ahead from where I left the topic in my last blog about CAPEXIL: Aiding Indian Publishing Industry, and how Prints Publication Pvt. Ltd. and I have always been closely related to CAPEXIL. CAPEXIL is an apex body set up by the Ministry of Commerce to promote Indian Exports as per the Article of Association… Read More

CAPEXIL: Aiding Indian Publishing Industry Exports of printed books, newspapers, pictures in India decreased to 41.24 USD million in 2016 from 142.12 USD million in 2015. In order to facilitate the export of chemical-based and allied products, the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India, had set up CAPEXIL, an Export Promotion Council, in 1958. CAPEXIL is an ISO 9001:2008 certified… Read More

7 Books Music Lovers Must Read This Winter Books, music, movies – 3 most common interests people indulge in. And interestingly, these forms of art find a way to stay connected more often than not. Movies adapted from books. Music inspired from poems. Music in movies. If you love music as much as I do, these 7 books are a must read for… Read More

Top 7 Indian Publishers for Children: My Pick I am not an avid reader myself, and given my busy schedule I hardly find time to read. But I see my little kid having quite a taste for books. Can’t really argue if it’s the content, the graphics and colours or all of them. As far I can recollect apart from the school libraries… Read More

The GST Battle on Royalty: Publishers Vs Authors The Goods & Service Tax (GST) that came in with different tax slabs, opened doors to a lot of confusion across industries. In my earlier blog on the Impact of GST on Prints Publications, I mentioned how we faced the disadvantage of no input tax credit for taxes, as books, journals & periodicals fall under… Read More

Literary Prizes: Making Way For Quality Fiction Ever wondered what literary prizes do that just good reviews can’t? They push you towards giving your best, proving your worth to all over and over, AND finding your way to always remain on top, or in the race at least. Having said that, whether or not such prizes are relevant, and how much if… Read More

The Sharjah Book Fair 2017: A Quick Glance The 36th edition of the world’s 4th largest book fair, Sharjah International Book Fair begins on 1st November, and like every year, I’m excited to represent my company, Al Khamri, at the fair. It’s a 10-day event that started in 1982 under the guidance and patronage of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi,… Read More

Frankfurt Book Fair 2017: The Hits & The Misses My last blog is a testimony to the love I have for Frankfurt Book Fair. Like every year, I was glad to be a part of it this time around too, and all the more delighted to share my experience here. I attended the prestigious fair for the first time back in 2006, and it… Read More

12 Book Marketing Strategies That Actually Work Marketing – a term that rules every industry. It’s the backbone of every product, service, event, content piece and a lot more. You just can’t do without it. While there are many marketing professionals/agencies in the market with vast marketing strategies and presentations, only a few can truly understand the intricacies of this business. We,… Read More

Get the best from your smartphone with these 5 apps of 2017 Technology. The one word that drives me crazy. There’s always something new to explore. Something that excites and amazes one. And mobile applications continue to be on top of the exploration list. Here’s why I thought of getting away from business related topics for this blog and write on my favourite apps of the year… Read More

Impact of GST on Prints Publications GST (Goods and Services Tax), as we know, has changed the way many businesses operate. A lot has been said, debated upon and written on its pros & cons, and how it will affect the future of various industries. The application of GST has indirectly, if not directly, affected Prints Publications Pvt. Ltd. Books, periodicals… Read More

Is it time for India to think beyond CBSE? What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about the schooling system in India? For me, it’s the NCERT books and the CBSE, for sure. I’ve talked about NCERT books in a blog sometime back. Today, I’ll be sharing my views on the CBSE and how things are changing in India’s… Read More

Digital Publishing Or Print Publishing? Or A Mix? “Digital publishing vs print publishing – what’s your take, Pranav?” This is a question someone asked me at a get-together recently. After an hour long debate, I thought I must pen down and share my thoughts about the same. So here I am… I have been associated with the print publishing business for decades now,… Read More

All about upcoming events & exhibitions Exhibitions are a great opportunity to connect and network with the industry you are a part of. It’s also a good way of keeping yourself updated about the new trends and players in the industry. Being a part of the ever evolving publishing business, here’s the lowdown on events I plan to attend in the… Read More

The UGER Model: What are we in for? Evolving, promising and challenging – while these are the three definite words that describe the publishing industry, new trends and policies keep coming into picture almost every year. It’s the UGER Model this time around, introduced by the Ministry of Oman. Wondering what it is and how it is going to impact the industry, right?… Read More

New Delhi World Book Fair: What’s Amiss? Held for the last 45 years, the New Delhi World Book Fair (NDWBF) is now a major calendar event in the publishing world. With each passing year and growing number of participants, the NDWBF has grown tremendously. This time around, the 25th edition of NDWBF will be held from 6th to 14th January, 2018 at… Read More

NCERT Vs Private books! The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) had recently directed all the CBSE-affiliated schools to follow Circular No: Acad-07/2017 which was an attempt to make NCERT books available for the academic session of 2017-18. The letter stated that the textbooks will be supplied and printed by NCERT for all classes. Besides this, the letter also… Read More

Indian Book Fairs vs International Book Fairs A reader’s journey doesn’t end with the book, but is an adventure that goes on towards oblivious paths in search of new horizons. The ultimate ‘stop’ during this journey where the knowledge seekers attain some rest is either at a bookstore or in the heart of different book fairs! Book fairs have been organized in… Read More

Does GST impact the pursuit of education? Awaited by some, but not by many! The GST tax, which kicked off on July 1st 2017, has definitely caused ripples across the nation, some of which are positive, and others debatable. While some people would breathe a sigh of relief with the GST tax roll out, there are some who would be left in… Read More

Top 10 Indian Authors You Should Know About Today, while reading ‘The God of Small Things’ by Arundhati Roy, I realized that India is a storehouse of talent with amazing authors refining the literary world effectively by contributing their part. Great works by Indian literary geniuses have helped them leave their mark on the international literary scene too. Many Indian authors have been… Read More

My Travel list for 2017 2016 saw a boom in the tourism industry. With travel slowly becoming a lifestyle statement, more and more Indians are becoming evolved travellers. From backpacking to luxury travel, travelling has been the top holiday plan for both individuals and families. And why not! India currently ranks 18th in the global travel budget rankings. Keeping up… Read More

2017: What does it hold in store for the publishing industry? 2016 was an eventful year for the publishing industry. Self-published writers saw a growth, while the influence from Chinese Publishers resulted in increased acquisitions and partnerships. There were a few sad demises of traditional book shops but the the new players kept the excitement going for market watchers. The publishing industry is definitely excited for… Read More

Journals: A Gateway to Knowledge Journals are not only a key source to meet all your knowledge needs, but also help you find answers to questions in countless ways. Journals have become one of the fastest and most effective means of disseminating research findings. Each article published in a journal allows you to extensively explore a specific topic, which in… Read More