How about a simple way to centrally store and manage the data of your title? Store the title data online and reap the benefits of generating an ‘ONIX for Books’ XML output that can automatically be shared with numerous bibliographic agencies, retailers, libraries, ebook retailers, distributors, wholesalers and your own website.

Indian publishers generally maintain their titles database in an Excel format but this data is not standardised. ONIX offers a standardised exchange of information from publishing houses to trade wholesalers, retailers, e-retailers, supply chains, libraries, etc,” told Sidharth Malhotra of BookNetWorld.

Established by two veterans in their fields – Sidharth Malhotra in publishing (Vision Books) and Brijesh Kumar in IT (Digital Media Initiatives), BookNetWorld offers a simple way to centrally store and manage the title data of any publisher. “Infact, there’s no company in India using ONIX software,” informed Brijesh.

“BookNetWorld is an advanced title data management cloud application, offering superb productivity to any publishing house and can be easily integrated with the publishers’ workflows. This product will allow publishers of not only English but regional languages as well to key in their details as per international standards. This data will be rich in metadata and is keyword enriched. Infact, it has around 250 different fields, hence it is an enriched data,” explained Brijesh. “The entire web-interface is very easy to operate and is secure.”

Graced the function by eminent figures comprising M Hamid Ansari, vice president of India as chief guest and others including Salman Khurshid, external affair minister, Government of India, Konark Publishers Pvt Ltd recently launched Dr Narendra Jadhav’s three volume series books titled Ambedkar Speaks. In his speech during the launch held in New Delhi, Mohammad Hamid Ansari remarked that the trilogy has been a simple window access to the great philosophy of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar who has been a renowned thinker and reformist. Spotlighting on the comprehensive collection of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s seminal speeches, Salman Khurshid explicated that the work of Dr Narendra Jadhav would rediscover our roots to make more vital society for the generations to come.

Ambedkar Speaks is the first ever attempt at a systematic study of Dr Ambedkar’s 537 speeches. Of these, 500 speeches have been reviewed and analysed, relating them to landmark developments. “It is grossly unfair to characterize Dr Ambedkar simply as a leader of Dalits. Ambedkar's erudition, mass movements, role in the government and outside clearly demonstrate his broader vision of building a democratic republic through creation of social equality and cultural integration in the age-old caste-ridden, inherently unjust and discriminating society,” said author Dr Narendra Jadhav.

What better way to recognise and celebrate the birth anniversary of a famous poet! Pranab Mukherjee, president of India released a Commemorative Postage Stamp on late Sahir Ludhianvi to mark his birth anniversary on March 8, 2013. Sahir was a people’s poet who wrote on the trials and tribulations of the everyday life of the common man and will always be remembered for his inspiring and true-to-life poetry.

A crash course for new entrants to the world of publishing was organized by National Book Trust, in collaboration with the All Assam Publishers And Booksellers Association at Guwahati from March 14-22, 2013. The course aimed to give the participants an overview of publishing. Hands-on experience practical and interactive sessions formed an important segment of the course. The course was also expected not only to sharpen the skills of aspiring young publishing professionals but also enable them to carve a niche for themselves in the industry as well.

The course was inaugurated by Hemanga Kishor Sarma, commissioner higher education, Government of Assam. Other dignitaries who graced the occasion included Naba Thakuria, secretary, Guwahati Press Club and Ajit Kumar Burman, president, All Assam Publishers and Booksellers Association.

The faculty was drawn from specialists, academics and working professionals who have made their mark in respective fields of publishing. These included Sridhar Balan, Nirmal Kanti Bhattachaya, Sukumar Das, Sabir Roy, Kalyan Bannerjee, Vinutha Mallaya, Pradeep Barua and many others who have excelled in their respective fields of book publishing.

–GS Jolly