Doyen of publishing industry Asoke Ghosh wins Simon Master Chairman’s Award 2018

Asoke Ghosh, Chairman and Managing Director of PHI Learning, was conferred with the Simon Master Chairman’s Award at the International Excellence Awards 2018 in partnership with The Publishers Association at the London Book Fair for his contribution and impact on global publishing. What makes it special is that he is only the fourth recipient and the first Indian to get this award.

The Simon Master Chairman’s Award is a prize of distinction, which is awarded to commend an outstanding contribution to the global publishing industry. Throughout his extensive career, Simon Master, the first non-Executive Chairman of the London Book Fair Advisory Board, made a huge contribution to the publishing sector and the Simon Master Chairman’s Award is named in his honour. The award is now in its fourth year.

Jacks Thomas, Director, London Book Fair in her introduction said, “Asoke K. Ghosh is effectively the father of Indian publishing and a very worthy recipient of the London Book Fair Simon Master Chairman’s Award. He foresaw the coming importance of computers and computer education, and his publications in this area – including the very first book on Computer Science in India – caught the attention of Microsoft, who chose to partner with him for their own books in India.Today, he is the Chairman and MD of PHI Learning where he has championed low-cost educational books for many, many years. He is a founder-member of the Federation of Indian Publishers of which he has been president twice. For his selfless services towards education and publishing, the Federation conferred on him the Most Distinguished Publisher Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award.”

Ghosh beat out other contestants due to his selfless services towards education and book publishing industry. He has been regularly representing the country by participating in the International Book fairs to promote homegrown publications and Indian academia all over the world, and thus contributing to our Prime Minister’s Make in India policy as well.

With this award, he joined the list of previous awardees such as Ernest Hecht, British Publisher, producer and Philanthropist (who founded Souvenir Press Ltd.), 2016 and China Publishing Group, 2015.