As Marathi publishing loses its sales pillars to the pandemic, waiting for change is the only option

Of the many books that document India’s post-Independence journey, Asa Ghatala Bharat stands out as the go-to book amongst Marathi IAS aspirants and journalists. Documenting the country’s progress between 1947 and 2013, it’s a voluminous work spanning 950 pages.

In today’s post-truth world, the book is still a bestseller. It’s one of the 570-and-odd books published by my family. We are a Marathi publishing house called Rohan Prakashan. Based in Pune and Mumbai, the firm goes back to the early 1980s.

Shortly after I was born in 1981, my grandfather Manohar Champanerkar, a well-known teacher and author in Maharashtra, founded and named the business after me. My father, Pradeep Champanekar, a print technologist from JJ School of Arts in Mumbai, worked with him right from the inception. Together, the Champanerkars lovingly crafted book after book. Today, our catalogue sells regularly across the state. As a child, I took part in publishing discussions with elders at home. My opinion was sought while thinking of book titles or new cover art.

Our home was a hive of activity, with a considerable impact on my upbringing. Among the friends of the family who would visit us at home were Marathi luminaries of film, drama, music, art and journalism. The famous author…

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