Boom time ahead

With salaries being revised, international publishers setting up bases and publishers reporting growth, Indian publishing industry could not have a better time than this. Pallavi Polanki on the profitablity of publishing industry.

There has never been a better time for the publishing industry in India. Salaries are being revised. International publishers are setting up bases. Publishers are reporting growth.

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Says Pramod Kapoor, publisher, Roli Books, “There are more publishing companies today than when I started my career in 1975 and so opportunities are, of course, more. There are different kinds of publishers — illustrated, children’s books and so on — so there is more variety.”

The promise of Indian retail, discerning readers, more avenues to buy books and organised marketing are driving the noticeable growth in the business of books.

Shruti Debi, editor, Picador India, says, “We are expanding, yes. We have grown as a team and as a list, editorially as well as in sales. We have a three-fold increase in frontlist titles from last year and, thankfully, a long tail that still does its business.”

Set to become home to largest number of English speakers in the world by 2010, India has become attractive for its human resource to both foreign and Indian publishers.

But there is one hiccup. Not many choose to be part of this industry, say editors. The absence of more professional courses in publishing has also contributed to the problem.

Says Picador India’s Debi, “Whether the trade continues to expand or doesn’t grow will probably depend on personnel who join sales and distribution.”

If you are wondering if you should take a shot at publishing, Kapoor has a tip. “We always inform youngsters in an interview that book publishing is different from other media. A book needs more time, patience, attention to detail.”