How India holds key to success of Covid-hit publishing industry in South Asia

By: Asia Business Outlook Team | Thursday, 02 December 2021

The consolidation of post-colonial literature has proactively became a reality sooner than the later. India as a new nation had most unique leaders who were equally well-known as writers and who inspired the culture of knowledge to flourish. Jawaharlal Nehru certainly contributed immensely in the field of writings as well as in institutionalising the literary culture. However, in shaping up the publishing market in India, huge contributions came with the global recognition of Indian writings

India is the hub of the South Asian publishing market and was growing in unprecedented ways before the COVID-19 pandemic but caused the toughest operational disruptions. In an estimate, the South Asian publishing industry’s total annual business was to the tune of $2.5 billion just before the pandemic, with India being at the centre stage. The Books in English made up almost a quarter of this total sum. So, India remained a favoured destination for subcontinental writers.

Looking at the latest trends in the Indian literary market ,one astonishing fact is that only the fiction being sold in huge quantities is commercial trash. Infact, the genres of literary and translated fiction have never been in greater danger as nowadays. The only books that manage to sell in large numbers are those that have received some recognition in the West.

As the world’s largest democracy with a fairly progressive polity India's rise has never been in isolation.

It has stood firm on its ground in offering opportunities to the writers from the neighbourhood and beyond India’s publishing market, keeping the South Asian spirit and letting the genuine writers flourish more irrespective of any hurdles.

However, the Indian publishing market is growing but the sad truth is that even now, a subcontinental interface is still very low. The writers in South Asia should align themselves with the immense opportunities offered by India, main publishing land.

Despite the challenges faced, the rise and rise of Indian publishing and writers have been massive. So as a nation with so much populace India’s recognition in the world is a affirmation of the successes for the Indian authors, publishers and other stakeholders’ contributions have developed over the decades.

Hence, while continuing with the rich tradition and impressive legacy and being at the cusp of defining changes, the ‘new normal’ should have a close link with the processes of writing, editing, commissioning, publishing and promotion. Also working together especially those who make the book should work in unison rather than opt for their comfort zones and individual aims.

In the figures, it would be too difficult to ascertain the degree of recovery in the Indian publishing market as the pandemic has endangered the publishing sector but it could not defeat the creative spirits.

However it is too difficult to ascertain the possibility of recovery in the Indian Publishing market the process of reading, finding an urge to communicate and write happens to be deeply personal and painful. So to stay genuine and communicate, a Self-realisation should take place about the important changes but without missing the essence of basics that stays open to changes on its own. Everyone is living in a very special phase in times where conventional wisdom is freely countered with artificial tools and thought processes. Such challenges motivates the good culture of reading, writing and knowledge sharing to scale even greater heights.

Therefore, as India is celebrating 75th years of its Independence and with a vision clearly aimed to further strengthen the country in the 21st century, the new world in post-pandemic times will look at India with enthusiasm. It will be specially focused on the Indian publishing scene. It can come to play with immense potential to grow and maneuver, positive ambition coming as a force to figure out with.