Indian Content: Gaining recognition worldwide!

Indian content is going global. Tamil writer Perumal Murugan’s “Pyre” has now made it to the long list of the2023 International Booker Prize, soon after Geetanjali Shree won the International Booker Prize 2022. Besides, the emergence of OTT platform has given India the opportunity to showcase its content on a global scale, promoting cultural exchange. Two historic wins at the 2023 Oscars for RRR’s “Naatu Naatu”and “The Elephant Whisperers,” are the cherry on the top.

Geetanjali Shree, International Booker Prize winner, says, “Now, something like the International Booker Prize has certainly made a difference. Suddenly, there is attention because when somebody gets a big award, then it doesn’t highlight only that one particular work. It also highlights the whole linguistic area,the whole cultural world. Certainly,attention has suddenly increased on the subcontinental literary scene in other languages or other than English languages as well,” she adds. “But, one award and the attention that it brings in all that hype and moment of euphoria and elation is not enough. It has to sustain. And big publishers from Europe and other countries like Germany, Switzerland, France, etc have shown some interest in contemporary Indian literature.”

More recently, London Book Fair concluded on a positive note, attracting 30,000 visitors and a long list of rights deals. The International Rights Centre had 500 tables this year. Earlier, the New Delhi World Book Fair in New Delhi attracted over 1000+ speakers and moderators in more than 400 interactive sessions, 250 book launches, international dialogues and cultural performances in the course of 9 days of the fair. With more than 2000 stalls, both Indian and foreign,more than 10 lakh visitors thronged to the fair.

Another interesting development is that Sarhad, an NGO based in Pune, is ready to transform Aragam village of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district, into India’s largest book village. Here, visitors can get absorbed into the ancient to modern literature and history of Kashmir and know more about folk culture of the city.

Let’s continue to celebrate our rich publishing industry!

Shweta
shweta@allaboutbookpublishing.com