In the days of branding and marketing miracles, even the staid and solid brands that have watched without major worry as the centuries go by are warming up to the idea of targeted publicity. Even ancient India speaks the brand language now. So is it surprising that an institution like the Oxford University Press, long considered one of the most prestigious English language publishers in India, having marked its presence here over more than a hundred years, has taken a measured decision to increase its work in Indian languages?
OUP’s Tim Barton, Managing Director, Global Academic Publishing, and Niko Pfund, President and Academic Publisher, say the initiative to translate OUP’s content in the academic and research fields from across the world into Indian languages, and that of translating works by Indian authors into English, is still in the early stages.
“We are looking at Hindi and Bangla as the two languages in the first phase of this project,” says Barton. “The decision to enter this market has been taken keeping in mind our vast content ranging across disciplines and the highly-respected authors that we have on publishing with us. However, since we are at the initial stages of putting the programme together, the content for translation is still being worked out and it is therefore too early for us to comment on specific authors and titles.”
In New Delhi recently for executive board meetings, the two are upbeat about the way the world of publishing, along with the scenario in India, is developing. New investments are on the anvil. “There’s an investment story but there’s also an integration story,” says Barton. Integration implies making OUP’s academic and research content from across the world available in India. While this content has so far been available in print, it’s not always easy to get your hands on it, as Barton points out. Oxford Scholarship Online, he explains, brings OUP’s scholarly monographs onto a digital platform. “By connecting Indian academic publishing to our global content only (so far) available in print form, we’re helping to benefit both. There’s interesting research in India and outside,” he says. Books from outside can be sold in India and vice-versa, he says.
Increasing autonomy of OUP India is another major thrust area of the company, say the two officials. “We thought we should follow the model we follow in the U.K., of delegacy,” says Barton. This system involves scholars who review the work to be published. There are four delegates here in India and one in the U.S., he adds. The idea behind the change is that delegates on the ground will not only be able to take quick decisions on books but also advise the management on current issues, controversies and the like.
When institutions are old they are sometimes accused of riding on their laurels and in danger of missing newer opportunities in a changing world. The number of publishers vying for the attention of the authors and book buyers of India has increased, and OUP, while still an edifice, has had plenty of competition over the years from players who play by the new rules. But, regarding its synergy with the India of brands and image management, Barton says, “Here in India, to put it positively, we’ve been trying to create a new enthusiasm.”
