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DC Books

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DC Books
Founded1974
FounderDominic Chacko Kizhakemuri
Country of originIndia
Headquarters locationKottayam
Official websitewww.deeceegroup.com

DC Books is the largest publisher in Kerala, the leading publisher of books in Malayalam, and one of the ten biggest publishers in India [citation needed]. It also operates one of the largest book store chains in India,[1] with a network of over 45 bookshops under the DC Books and Current Books brands as well as over 50 agencies in Kerala.[2]

DC Books

DC Books[3] is a publisher and bookseller with headquarters in Kottayam, Kerala, India. It published over 6500 titles, mainly literature in Malayalam[citation needed], but also including children's literature, poetry, reference, biography, self-help, yoga, management titles, and foreign translations. It distributes 70% of books across Kerala.

DC Media, is the media division of DC Books. DC Media publishes 5 magazines namely, Education Insider,[4] Asia's leading magazine on education, Future Medicine,[5] magazine on Asian medical industry and Emerging Kerala,[6] Kerala's fastest growing magazine on business, economy and society, Money Indices and Travel and Flavors. DC Books was founded in 1974 by Dominic Chacko Kizhakemuri, known as D.C. Kizhakemuri or just DC amongst literary Kerala. At that time, DC was Secretary of the Sahitya Pravarthaka Sahakarana Sangam, a cooperative venture of Malayalam writers. The society helped writers with the business and publishing details and instituted a standard royalty of 30-40%, as well as the system of an 'advance' payment for their books, financially enabling them to devote themselves to writing full-time. When he turned his attention to founding DC Books, DC began promoting and creating markets for its books by organizing festivals, clubs, and pre-publication subscriptions, and installment schemes.[7] Their successful bookclub scheme allows buyers to build a library of their own by buying books on installments. In 1977, Current Books became its sister concern. In 2001, DC Books launched dcbooks.com, an Indian local language bookstore with over 4,000 titles.[8] In 2004, DC Books partnered with Corner Books to open a New Delhi branch for Keralites in Delhi.[9]

DC Books is the publisher of several translation dictionaries used by professionals and South Asian Linguists,[10][11] such as their:

  • "English-English-Malayalam dictionary" by T. Ramalingam Pillai (ISBN 81-7130-302-1)
  • Malayalam English Dictionary by M. Varier, et al.

Imprints

DC Books is the parent company of the following imprints:

  • DC Books:[12] non-fiction, literature, translations, and reference books
  • Kairali Mudralayam:[13] popular fiction, including children's books and translations
  • Kairali Children's Book Trust:[14] produces children's literature and gives annual awards for best works in Malayalam
  • Mango Books: Children's imprint in English. Winner of Awards for Excellence (2014) constituted by the Federation of Indian Publishers.

Achievements

  • In 2004 alone, won five awards in the General, Reference, Paperback, House Magazine, and Catalogues categories for their: Malayalam Encyclopedia, Thesaurus, Charithrakaandom, Pachakuthira.[15]
  • In 2004 alone, D.C. Books brought out 531 titles, the maximum number among Indian publishers
  • DC Books was the first publishers/book sellers in India to get ISO 9000 Certification.[16]

Controversy

In 2004 DC Books published a translated version of Britannica Concise Encyclopædia into Malayalam in the name Britannica Malayalam Encyclopedia.[17][18] The book won an award from the Federation of Indian Publishers in 2004.[18] a Consumer Court banned the sale of the book because it was found to be an erroneous reference with many factual errors. The court also found that there was unfair trade practice on the part of the publishers, which are DC Books, Kerala and Encyclopædia Britannica India Pvt.Ltd, a subsidiary of Encyclopædia Britannica Inc.[19]

DC Books Clubs and Festivals

The DC International Book Fair[20] offers book releases and exhibitions. The Fair also features youth contests in Spot Poetry Writing, English Quiz, Malayalam Quiz, Street Drama - Malayalam, Declamation, Pen A Story, Special Schools Only, Film Appreciation, English Reading, Malayalam Reading, Painting, and Readers Theatre.

Headquarters

The headquarters of DC Books on Good Shepherd Street in Kottayam houses an art gallery, hosting exhibits of modern and traditional paintings and sculptures.[21]

DC Media

DC Media,[22] the media wing of DC Books was launched in January 2011. DC Media publishes Education Insider, a pan-Asian magazine for the education sector; Future Medicine, a global magazine on health and medicine;Emerging Kerala (Magazine), a magazine which focuses on the socio-economic development of Kerala; and Pachakuthira, a magazine which intervenes into the socio-political space.

References

  1. ^ "Public Utilities". Kottayam.com. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  2. ^ "DC Book Shop Locations". Dcbooks.com. Archived from the original on 23 December 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  3. ^ dcbooks.com
  4. ^ "Asias largest circulated Education Magazine". Education Insider. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  5. ^ "Asia's largest circulated magazine on Medical Industry". Futuremedicineonline.com. Archived from the original on 27 November 2012. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  6. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 8 June 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. ^ "para. 4-5". Indianexpress.com. Retrieved 17 November 2013.[permanent dead link‍]
  8. ^ The Hindu Business Line : Quiet flows the Puzha Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ "Books, Kerala books". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 13 May 2004.
  10. ^ "Linguist Listserv, nos. 11-13". Archived from the original on 28 February 2008.
  11. ^ "Government of Kerala, Law Library, Acquisitions". November 2007. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011.
  12. ^ "Welcome to DC Books". Archived from the original on 9 June 2008. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  13. ^ [1][dead link‍]
  14. ^ [2][dead link‍]
  15. ^ "Awards for DC Books". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 12 February 2004.
  16. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 3 May 2008. Retrieved 30 November 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) and "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 December 2007. Retrieved 6 November 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  17. ^ "Britannica in Malayalam". The Hindu. 20 September 2002.
  18. ^ a b "Encyclopaedia Britannica wins awards". The Hindu Businessline. 18 February 2004.
  19. ^ George, Sanu (8 August 2004). "Errors in Encyclopaedia Britannica in Malayalam". Yahoo News. IANS. Archived from the original on 15 January 2006.
  20. ^ "dcbookfair.com". dcbookfair.com. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  21. ^ "D C Books in Kottayam India". India9.com. 19 August 2005. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  22. ^ "Untitled-1". Dcmediacorp.com. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
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