Two-day conference on August 11–12.

Significance of Copyright and Intellectual Property Rights in Publishing

Unveiling the power of publishing and shaping the trajectory of our great nation through 2047

Quality Education in NEP

New Delhi, August 11, Friday

The Federation of Indian Publishers kicked off the highly anticipated ‘Indian Publishers Conference 2023, at the prestigious Claridges Hotel, New Delhi. The event marks the golden jubilee of the Federation, celebrating 50 years of excellence and progress in the Indian publishing industry. It will run for two-days, 11th and 12th August.

The theme of the Conference is “India at 2047: The Role of Publishing in Nation Building”. It brought together industry leaders, innovators, and stakeholders to explore the pivotal role of publishing in crafting the nation’s future. As India becomes a global power, the conference discussed how publishing contributes to economic growth, employment, and knowledge dissemination and promotes a culturally rich society.

In her keynote address, Union Minister Smt. Smriti Irani highlighted the evolution of reading habits in the digital age, acknowledging the challenge of transitioning from traditional book reading to e-books. She emphasised the challenges of reading through devices and how it has become a buzzword, with those resisting the change being labelled as lacking innovation. She said, “Some recent medical research suggests that introducing devices early on can negatively impact cognitive decline across age groups.”

She further stated the significance of reading books, citing knowledge acquisition and the love of reading as key reasons. She advocated for reading from physical copies. She focused on digitising books in local languages and promoting the habit of reading among younger generations. Smt. Irani also discussed the need for collaboration between readers and publishers as well as the essential role of reading in personal growth. She highlighted the government’s commitment to supporting the publishing industry through policy initiatives, catering to the rising demand for books. Lastly, Irani touched upon challenges such as copyright issues, piracy, and disruptions in the publishing sector.

Shri Sunil Deodhar, National Secretary, BJP, steeped himself in the rich heritage and cultural influence of publishing in India. He said, “Under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Indian publishing industry has grown significantly in the last nine years. Initiatives like ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’ underline their central role in supporting national priorities. India has a rich ancient history of epics and vedas. Our Gurus and rishis were the first publishers of the Indian publishing sphere, which was inherited by generations. There are still more aficionados of reading books in hardcopy than in any digital mode.”

FIP President Ramesh Mittal said, “As the country celebrates Azad Ka Amrit Mahotsav and prepares to host the G20 Summit, the Federation of Indian Publishers will celebrate its golden jubilee by organising the Indian Publishers’ Conference in New Delhi next month. 
The theme of the conference is Publishing in Nation Building. English and Hindi are invited to attend the conference, along with language publishers across India and thinkers from various walks of life, dealing with topics such as national education policy, copyright, translation, content monetization, data utilisation, artificial intelligence, innovation, and above all, making India a book-reading nation and an information society.”

Speaking on the occasion, Pranav Gupta, Director of the Conference, said, “As the Director of the Indian Publishers Conference 2023 and on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the Indian Publishers Association, I am delighted to announce this momentous occasion. The Role of our publisher is a defining moment for the Indian publishing industry as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Indian Publishers Association. This conference showcases the remarkable growth and enormous potential of our industry. Publishing plays a key role in shaping the future and economy of our country, as well as the development, dissemination, and promotion of a culturally enriched society. As India’s global influence grows, our conference explores the transformative power of publishing in building an independent India.

President Emeritus Shri Asoke K. Ghosh said, “As India emerges as a global power, the event highlights the importance of the publishing industry in building an independent nation. By promoting import and export trade, developing talent, and promoting education and information dissemination, publishing is a driving force for inclusive growth and a catalyst for the realisation of India’s vision.”

As India moves towards 2047, the conference will look at industrial progress amid the digital revolution. By exploring new horizons, publishers can respond to changing demands and harness the potential of technology to achieve greater reach, revenue, and employment opportunities.

The different sessions during the conference covered ‘Quality Education and NEP, ‘Significance of Copyright and Intellectual Property Rights in Publishing, and ‘Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Publishing’. The event concluded with the release of ’75 Years of Book Publishing in India, Hindi Edition’.