Meet Aparna Sharma

managing director, DK India

Aparna Sharma is managing director of DK India. She joined DK 18 years ago and has played a key role in guiding and shaping the DK India operations into a significant part of DK worldwide. Prior to this Aparna and her photographer husband ran their own communication design and multimedia business. Get to know me

Who am I? An easy going, happy person with a steely inner resolve.

What motivates me? People – my family, my team, their aspirations and their happiness.

How I came into publishing? My chosen career was in art and design, and this eventually drew me to DK for its visual excellence in communication design, my first and only publishing job!

A day in my life

How I start my day? I revel in daybreak the traditional way. A leisurely cup of tea, the newspaper followed by my to-do list. And then my day takes off….

How I like to spend leisure time/ hours at home? When time permits, I try to do something creative – paint, make something or read. Otherwise, I love catching up with family and friends.

How my day ends? My day ends when I am done with the day, by 11pm or maybe later.

My stress buster – I don’t get stressed very often, but a brisk walk in the park always helps to clear the head.

Life is to live

Favourite sport – I do enjoy watching the occasional cricket match or F1 when my husband and son are around. It’s fun family time actually.

Favourite books – I have always loved Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, including the beautiful art by Dodgson and Tenniel that accompanied it. As too The Little Prince, but my current favourite is The Illustrated Mahabharata, a book we published earlier this year! I am so proud of my team for creating this beautiful and accessible retelling of an ancient, layered and complex tale, retaining the full impact of the narrative and the focus on its multiplicity.

Favourite author – Can’t really narrow down to one; I have been exploring a lot of Indian writing recently.

Favourite movies – A couple of movies that come to mind are 12 Angry Men and As Good As It Gets.

Favourite actors – Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson.

Favourite destination for holidays – The next one!

Any bucket list – For now, it’s to explore Japan, learn pottery and sculpt.

Work is passion

Business or political leader who motivates you – Sheryl Sandberg and Ratan Tata.

DK in one line – DK ignites passion and curiosity in each of us to keep learning and doing new things every day.

My people mantra – People come before everything else; to trust and respect each other is the most important basis of any relationship, including professional.

To be a leader is to – Inspire success, to have the ability to mobilise people and ideas.

An exciting point in a typical day’s work – The very first copy of our latest book in my hands!

If you are born again what would you like to be? I believe in the present and now.