The fourth day of Jaipur BookMark 2025, a key publishing conclave held alongside the Jaipur Literature Festival, was packed with engaging sessions covering a wide range of topics. From new media and passion projects to workshops on artificial intelligence (AI) and the changing dynamic between authors and editors, the event showcased the evolving landscape of the publishing world. A special focus was given to Tamil publishing, culminating in an insightful Publisher’s Roundtable, where publishers from across India discussed the future of the industry.
Earlier, on day three, the Editors’ Roundtable, led by Arunava Sinha, featured discussions on the current state of publishing with experts like Amrita Talwar, Chiragh Thakkar, Elizabeth Kuruvilla, and others. The panelists discussed the rise in global recognition for Indian authors, the growing trend of publishing in multiple Indian languages, and the increasing challenges posed by the rising cost of book production. Despite these challenges, the speakers expressed optimism about the industry’s future, pointing to the role of literature festivals in creating new opportunities for emerging authors.
Day four kicked off with a lively discussion between Anand Gandhi and Vinay Shukla, moderated by Hemali Sodhi, where they shared their experiences in film and game development, with a focus on their popular political board game ‘Shasn.’ Gandhi discussed how his journey into film writing was influenced by his mother’s love for pop culture, while Shukla humorously recounted his early days in the industry. The conversation highlighted how their 2016 film An Insignificant Man inspired the creation of ‘Shasn,’ a game designed to make players rethink political engagement.
The session on Passion Projects featured MK Ranjitsinh, Bandeep Singh, and Ramya Reddy, who shared their personal journeys of turning creative passions into projects, from Ranjitsinh’s connection with nature to Singh’s documentation of Naga Sadhus and Reddy’s research into Nilgiri tribal communities.
In the session on Tamil publishing, ‘Putiya Katru: The Fresh Breeze in Tamil Publishing,’ panelists Ival Bharathi, Gayathri Ramasubramanian, and Nivedita Louis, in conversation with Kannan Sundaram, highlighted the role of women writers and publishers in challenging the patriarchal norms in literature. They discussed the importance of translations in bringing Tamil literature to a global audience and how their personal journeys from rural roots to literary ambition have shaped the future of Tamil publishing.
The day also featured the Indian Language Publishers’ Roundtable, where publishers from across India discussed shared challenges and opportunities. Panelists including Ashok Maheshwari, Govind Deecee, and others explored issues such as regional publishing practices and the need for collaboration across languages.
Celebrating its 12th year, Jaipur BookMark 2025 continues to solidify its reputation as a leading platform for dialogue and collaboration in the publishing industry, focusing on storytelling that transcends cultural and linguistic barriers. The conclave looks forward to more thought-provoking discussions in its final sessions, including the Festival Directors’ Roundtable on literature in times of conflict and change.
