The programme, this year, includes panel discussions that will discuss book retail, the market for translations, future areas of focus for publishing, and higher education publishing. In addition, there will be workshops on customer analytics, accounting for publishers, and digital publishing.

Ganesh Devy will chair a session on Indian language publishing, while Shafi Shauq and Ravi Singh will be interviewed. Networking sessions, curated specially to encourage people from various backgrounds to meet, have also been planned.

The speakers who have confirmed their participation include Ankit Pahwa, vendor manager, India, Rakuten Kobo; Devika J, translator, researcher and faculty, CDS, Kerala; Esha Beteille, editor and publisher, Social Science Press; Ganesh Devy, founder director, Bhasha Research and Publication Centre, Vadodara; Mini Krishnan, editor; Rakhshanda Jalil, author and translator; Ravi Singh, publishing director, Speaking Tiger; Sesh Seshadri, director and general manager, Lonely Planet and managing partner, Overleaf Books; Shafi Shauq, poet, writer, linguist and critic; and Vikas Gupta, managing director, Wiley India.

Noted editor, publisher, translator and lexicographer, Samik Badyopadhyay, will deliver the keynote address.

Masterclass: Publishing 101

This masterclass will provide a basic overview of the process of publishing, with a focus on the editorial, production and marketing functions. Primarily suited for those who wish to know more about publishing, or wish to become publishers, this session will provide them with the knowhow necessary to take the first steps towards publishing a book.

Panel Discussion: Imagining Book Retail & Distribution

This panel will discuss the current state of book retail as seen from the perspective of publishers, book distributors and online and offline retailers. It will also attempt to predict how book retail might evolve as readers’ taste change. The impact of digital technologies and the evolution of various new genres on book-buying habits will also be discussed.

Workshop: Digital Publishing

The digital transformation of the media business is no longer a vision. Therefore, publishers and media companies need to increase their digital business if they want to stay in the competition. This workshop is aimed at professionals wishing to extend their knowledge of how to manage digital products and eProjects.

Workshop: Understanding & Using Consumer Data

This workshop is geared towards helping publishers gather data about their buyers and readers so that they can build an effective marketing program. Using various tools, publishers can understand the various demographics to which their readers and buyers belong. This workshop will introduce these tools to the participants.

Masterclass: After Writing, What Next?

Here, authors will be acquainted with the various options available to them after they have completed writing their book, and the steps authors can take to get published. This session is primarily for authors who have written their manuscript and are evaluating the various steps they can take.

Master Class: Understanding Copyright & the Rights Trade

This masterclass will provide a comprehensive understanding of copyright issues as applicable to book publishing, and that of how rights are traded. This masterclass will also acquaint participants with the various types of contracts that are used during the trades of rights.

Master Class: The Mechanics of Editing

Participants will be acquainted with the role of the editor while she evaluates manuscripts of various writing styles and genres. The role of the commissioning editor will also be discussed.

Workshop: Accounting For Publishers

This workshop, as the name suggests, will acquaint publishers with relevant accounting methods that will cover various processes encountered by publishers, and other publishing professionals, even authors. The workshop will focus on records that must be kept on a day-to-day basis as well as instructions while filing.

Panel Discussion: Where Must We Invest Next?

In a scenario where financial resources are limited, panelists will discuss where publishers should focus so that they continue to remain relevant in the future. Sunset and sunrise areas of publishing, as well as the impact of technology on the publishing ecosystem will also be discussed.

Panel Discussion: Translations: Market & Profession

This panel discussion will focus on the translation market and examine whether the quantity and quality of our translations do justice to the enormous literary output of the country. The professional aspects of the translation craft will also be discussed.

Panel Discussion: Business Models in Academic Publishing

The current status and trends, market size and dynamics as also the challenges and opportunities the higher education publishing faces will be discussed.