The Publications Division of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will focus on “inspirational books” and expand its operations online to distinguish itself from commercial publication houses.
Speaking at the presentation of the Bharatendu Harishchandra Awards here on Tuesday, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said: “When there are thousands of publications in the market, the role of PD must be to bring out literature that inspires youngsters… We must give importance to areas that have not got much attention earlier,” he said.
“Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya was an excellent journalist and though he was not a litterateur, he wrote a lot on subjects that can benefit society today. The PD must bring these out. I appeal to students to give suggestions on our website on what they want the role of PD to be,” he said.
The PD had published a biography of Bharatiya Jan Sangh ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya by the former BJP MP, Mahesh Chandra Sharma, in 2002.
During the launch of the book, then I&B Minister Sushma Swaraj announced that PD would bring out the complete works on Deendayal Upadhyaya. But the plan is yet to see the light of day.
The most prestigious publication of the division has been the 100-volume Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, which was compiled from 1956 to 1994.
The Minister added that the prize money for the Bharatendu Harishchandra Awards — for books in Hindi on journalism, women’s issues, national integration and children — would not only be increased but an additional category for writing that inspires adolescent girls would also be added. “Awards will not be delayed in future,” he added.
