People now prefer to purchase books online: Sridhar Balan

FROM A REPORTER

SHILLONG, Nov 15: Sridhar Balan, who has worked in renowned publishing houses, such as Oxford University Press and is the senior consultant of Ratsagar Private Limited during the maiden venture on a certificate course on Book Publishing organized by the tiol Book Trust, India and the North Eastern Council (NEC), observed that online bookstores has foreshadowed bookstores across the country as many bookstores are closing down as book readers prefer to buy books online.

Balan in his speech said, “Book reading habit among the people is not dwindling but people prefer to purchase books online.”

Stating that publishing as a career is a skill and it can be taught, he said “It needs skilled people to publish. The publishing bug has to bite the people.”

According to him, in Northeast, there is no much potential in the field of literature, creative writing to tap the potential of the people be it books on folklores and cuisines etc.

Mewhile, NEC secretary Ram Muivah stated that the certificate course in book publishing is a good and humble beginning and he is hopeful that in the coming years, it will draw more participants as currently 35 participants have registered for the course.

Assuring that NEC will give some support to the course, he said that despite the introduction of information technology, there will still be books and publishers.

 “It is high time to have publishing house in the North East. Reading habits has become very low and we need to encourage the people to read,” he added.

Meghalaya Editors’ and Publishers Association, vice president KK Jhunjhunwala said that the state has strength in the field of tourism which needs to be documented for the purpose of publishing books. “The strength of books will remain and there is no substitute for books and we need to delve deep into the world of books,” Jhunjhunwala added.