When 28-year-old engineer Guruprasad D.N. heard some residents of north Bangalore complaining that they had to travel long distances to buy Kannada books, he hit upon the idea of starting a bookstore to promote Kannada authors.
Giving up his software job, he started Aakruti Books Private Ltd. in Rajajinagar, where he sold used rare books as well as new ones ranging from graphic novels, fiction, non-fiction, autobiographies and self-help. “There were initial hiccups but things are looking up now,” says Mr. Guruprasad, officially managing director of the bookstore.
A first-time visitor to the bookstore, D.R. Srinivasan, says Kannada books are more easily available in south Bangalore as there are more Kannada-speaking people there. “This seems to be the only store in north Bangalore that has a good collection of Kannada books.”
Poor marketing
Mr. Guruprasad believes that marketing for Kannada books is poor. “If people are informed about new books from to time to time, the number of Kannada book readers will increase.”
He also offers a discount ranging from 10 to 50 per cent throughout the year.
The bookstore has also been conducting literary events and hosting book-reading activities to connect with readers and authors. He states that books published in Kannada are mostly found in libraries and he hopes that initiatives like these would encourage people to buy books.
At his store, he encourages people to give away old books and purchase new ones in return. Aakruti, which has hitherto published seven books, has an e-store which undertakes shipping orders.
Currently, it is holding book fair that is on till June 24 June between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Aakruti is located at 739/34/3, 1st Floor, 12th Main, Rajajinagar 3rd Block, near Bashyam Circle, Phone: 23409479, 23506788.
