D. C. Books

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DC Books is the largest publisher in Kerala, the leading publisher of books in Malayalam, and one of the top ten publishers in India. It also operates one of the largest book store chains in India[1], with a network of over 30 bookshops, and over 50 agencies in Kerala.[2][3]

Contents

[edit] DC Books

DC Books is a publisher and bookseller with headquarters in Kottayam,Kerala,India. It publishes over 6500 titles, mainly literature in Malayalam, but also including children's literature, poetry, reference, biography, self-help, yoga, management titles, and foreign translations. It distributes 70% of books across Kerala.

DC Books was founded in 1974 by Dominic Chacko Kizhakemuri, known as D.C. Kizhakemuri or just DC amongst literary Kerala. At that time, DC was Secretary of the Sahitya Pravarthaka Sahakarana Sangam, a cooperative venture of Malayalam writers. The society helped writers with the business and publishing details and instituted a standard royalty of 30-40%, as well as the system of an 'advance' payment for their books, financially enabling them to devote themselves to writing full-time. When he turned his attention to founding DC Books, DC began promoting and creating markets for its books by organizing festivals, clubs, and pre-publication subscriptions, and installment schemes.[4] Their successful bookclub scheme allows buyers to build a library of their own by buying books on installments. In 1977, Current Books became its sister concern. In 2001, DC Books partnered with Puzha.com to launch dcbooks.com, an Indian local language bookstore with over 4,000 titles.[5] In 2004, DC Books partnered with Corner Books to open a New Delhi branch for Keralites in Delhi.[6]

DC Books is the distributor for Malayalam translations of foreign language works and children's literature. "DC Books brought out translations of works of well-known Indian and foreign authors. Freedom at Midnight by Dominic La Pierre and Larry Collins, Road Back to Nature by M. Fukuoka, One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, India: Midnight to the Millennium by Shashi Tharoor, Sunstone by Octavio Paz are a few of its major translations. The imprint has also brought out translations of works of famous Indian authors like Rabindranath Tagore, Tara Sankar Banerjee, Ranjit Desai and Satyajit Ray." [7] DC Books was also the distributor for Malayalam edition of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone". [8]

DC Books is the publisher of several translation dictionaries used by professionals and South Asian Linguists. [9] [10], such as their:

  • "English-English-Malayalam dictionary" by T. Ramalingam Pillai (ISBN 8171303021)
  • Malayalam English Dictionary by M. Varier, et al.

[edit] Imprints

DC Books is the parent company of the following imprints:

[edit] Achievements

  • In 2004 alone, won five awards in the General, Reference, Paperback, House Magazine, and Catalogues catergories for their: Malayalam Encyclopedia, Thesaurus, Charithrakaandom, Pachakuthira. [11]
  • In 2004 alone, D.C. Books brought out 531 titles, the maximum number among Indian publishers
  • DC Books was the first publishers/book sellers in India to get ISO 9000 Certification.[12]

[edit] DC Books Clubs and Festivals

The DC International Book Fair offers book releases and exhibitions. The Fair also features youth contests in Spot Poetry Writing, English Quiz, Malayalam Quiz, Street Drama - Malayalam, Declamation, Pen A Story, Special Schools Only, Film Appreciation, English Reading, Malayalam Reading, Painting, and Readers Theatre.

[edit] Headquarters

The headquarters of D C Books on Good Shepard Street in Kottayam houses an art gallery, hosting exhibits of modern and traditional paintings and sculptures.[13]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Public Utilities
  2. ^ Welcome to DC Books.com-The first ISO Certified Publishing House in India
  3. ^ Welcome to DC Books.com-The first ISO Certified Publishing House in India
  4. ^ http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19990129/02950505.html, para. 4-5.
  5. ^ The Hindu Business Line : Quiet flows the Puzha
  6. ^ The Hindu : Books, Kerala books
  7. ^ Welcome to DC Books.com-The first ISO Certified Publishing House in India
  8. ^ Google Answers: Harry Potter in Malayalam
  9. ^ Linguist Listserv, nos. 11-13.
  10. ^ Government of Kerala, Law Library, Acquisitions (2007-11).
  11. ^ The Hindu : Awards for DC Books
  12. ^ http://www.totstat.com/clientele.asp and http://dcpress.net/aboutus.asp
  13. ^ D C Books in Kottayam India

[edit] External links