A study is required to assess the presence of India in terms of indigenous languages at the World Book Fair. Though Hindi is claimed to be one of the biggest languages of the world reality is other way round. The growing vulnerability of Hindi and Indian languages included in the Eighth Schedule of constitution demands a serious and detailed language discourse. Besides, failure of publications in catering the tastes of readers has virtually pushed the industry on a sticky wicket.
This is the reason why Media Studies Group (MSG) has come out with a comparative study of last four World Book Fairs held in Delhi. This study is going to appear in new issue of Jan Media , a monthly Media research journal publishing since April 2015 from New Delhi.
National Book Trust (NBT) was established in 1957 under the Higher Education Department of Govt. of India. Its one of main objectives was to work at various levels to encourage reading habit in indigenous languages among people. To fulfill this objective, NBT organises World Book Fair every year.
Total no. of publications participation in World Book Fair –
2013 — 1098
2014 — 1027
2016 — 850
2017 — 789
( Based on FAIR DIRECTORIES published by N.B.T. Figure of 2015 is not mentioned because we could not get copy of Fair Directory of that year)
So far as language – wise total number of publishers participated in 2013 World Book Fair is concerned, of total 1098 stalls and stands, there were 03 Assamese, 05 Bangla, 643 English, 02 Gujarati, 323 Hindi, 01 Kashmiri, 01 Maithili, 12 Malayalam, 02 Marathi, 01 Oriya, 06 Punjabi, 18 Sanskrit, 05 Tamil, 02 Telugu, 44 Urdu and 30 foreign participants.
One can adjudge the condition of publications and publishers of books in Indian languages by counting the numbers of publishers in 2013 World Book Fair. In comparison to English, presence of Hindi publishers was just half. But the actual condition of Hindi is even more miserable. The real number of Hindi publishers is very low. An interesting fact behind the number of Hindi publishers in the Fair is that many big Hindi publishers are running around a dozen publishing houses and stalls in the Fair are allotted in the names of publishing houses. However, presence in the Fair is not counted in the names of publishing houses. In this way, publishing houses are just tools of availing more and more space for a big publisher. In a study, Media Studies Group found that 11 Hindi publishers put 93 stalls altogether in 2013. An interpretation of statistics of 2013 World Book Fair reveals that these 11 publishers put 30 per cent of the total Hindi stalls. In other words, just three per cent of the Hindi publishers possessed 30 per cent stalls!
Efforts for ensuring more and more presence of Indian languages publishers in World Book Fair have been left far behind. There are enough indications to substantiate this fact. This can be understood by analyzing the pattern of participation of Indian languages publishers in three successive World Book Fairs in comparison of 2013. The tendency of grabbing of 30 per cent stalls by three per cent Hindi publishers is not included in such comparative study as it has already become a permanent trend. Facilities provided to Hindi stalls are usurped by big publishers in the name of their different publishing houses and it has become an accepted norm. That’s why, we present here the comparative study of declining participation of Indian languages and their publications only.
Of total 1027 publications participated in 2014 World Book Fair, there were 03 Assamese, 09 Bangla, 596 English, 323 Hindi, 09 Malayalam, 01 Marathi, 01 Oriya, 04 Punjabi, 05 Sanskrit, 01 Sindhi, 07 Tamil, 01 Telugu, 41 Urdu and 25 foreign participants. It is pertinent to note here that there are enough indications of not only declining participation of publishers, but even the absence of some of the Indian languages as well in the Book Fair. These indications appear more clear in successive years.
Of total 850 participant publications in 2016 World Book Fair, there were 01 Assamese, 04 Bangla, 483 English, 01 Gujarati, 289 Hindi, 06 Malayalam, 01 Marathi, 02 Oriya, 10 Punjabi, 01 Sindhi, 04 Tamil, 21 Urdu and 27 foreign participants.
In comparison of 2013, among Indian languages, the number of Assamese publications went down to one in 2016 World Book Fair. Similarly, presence of Bangla was limited to four while Gujarati and Marathi were restricted at one each. On the other hand, presence of Kashmiri, Maithili and Telugu came to naught. The number of Tamil publications also declined to four. An increase was visible in Punjabi only. Compared to 2013, the number of Urdu publications was less than half in 2016. Presence of Indian languages further declined in 2017 World Book Fair. Of total 789 publications, there were 07 Bangla, 448 English, 01 Gujarati, 272 Hindi, 06 Malayalam, 01 Marathi, 02 Oriya, 10 Punjabi, 03 Sanskrit, 03 Sindhi, 01 Tamil, 01 Telugu, 16 Urdu and 19 foreign participants.
Regarding Indian languages’ participation in World Book Fair, efforts were made to arrest the declining trend that came out in open in 2016. But impact of those efforts was not visible in 2017. Instead, the declining trend moved further. This year, Assamese joined the league of those Indian languages that have disappeared from World Book Fair. There is no improvement in the condition of Kashmiri and Maithili as such. Telugu just registered its presence only. Compared to last year, the number of Tamil was reduced to 25 per cent only. The number of Oriya reduced to one from two last year. There is a marginal improvement in the presence of Sindhi and Sanskrit. There was only one Sindhi publication in 2016. But this year, it increased upto three and leveled with the number of Sanskrit. Sanskrit was absent in 2016. Urdu is one of the languages whose presence is rapidly declining in World Book Fair. Compared to 2016, presence of Urdu publications further reduced this year. If compared with the statistics of 2013, its presence has been reduced by 70 per cent approx.
So, declining participation of publishers in successive World Book Fairs clearly indicates poor condition of publishers in Indian languages. With other languages India is not able to register its presence on world arena. Language wise, business of big publishers has grown further. But there is no significant improvement in the number of language publications. There is a dearth of publications that can trigger intellectual discourse through their original works and sadly this situation is expanding further. One shouldn’t be impressed with large number of Hindi stalls in the Book Fair. Instead, they should visit these stalls to know the exact number of shops dealing in books related to religion, superstition and porn etc. There is a wide gap between the stalls and stands in the Book Fair. Stands are treated as a shop on pavement. But the number of books that trigger intellectual discourse is growing fast on these stands.
Anil Chamadia
Chairman, Media Studies Group
Contact: 9868456745