The Indian publishing industry has charted a course of growth, grit, and resilience. With the world's attention focused on it, the industry is South Asia's nerve centre. Thus, creating a B2B platform for publishers at an Indian literary festival became essential, and the Jaipur BookMark (JBM) was conceived, running parallel to the Jaipur Literature Festival. In 2025, JBM celebrated twelve wonderful years.
Jaipur BookMark (JBM) brings together stakeholders of the book trade from across the world – from publishers to literary agents, writers, translators, translation agencies, and booksellers. It not only gives them an opportunity to "talk" business (through panel discussions and roundtables), but also provides the right atmosphere to inspire one-on-one meetings and networking. This fosters great business relationships, and allows for the occasional contract to be signed, too.
JBM 2025 was held against the backdrop of the magnificent Jaipur Literature Festival - from 30th Jan to 03rd Feb 2025 - and pivoted around the business of books, with those who drive it. This year, the platform focused on the rich tapestry of Tamil literature, from established icons to emerging authors, as well as the evolution and future of Hindi literature in a multilingual world. JBM also featured sessions that sought to hone in on subjects such as AI, rights management, and transgressive narrative forms, as they have come to exist within the world of publishing, as well as a series of illuminating discussions on the nature of specific genres, from crime thrillers to children’s literature. The platform also served as a celebration of notable publishing endeavours, and an opportunity for industry leaders to share vital insights on their experiences in the world of publishing.
In 2025, Jaipur BookMark represented over ten countries, twenty-seven languages, and featured over thirty publishers over its twenty-six sessions, including five roundtable discussions.
Some key industry awards that have been announced at Jaipur BookMark in past years include: Vani Foundation Distinguished Translator Award; The Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize; The Romain Rolland Book Prize.
The invaluable sharing of experiences garnered at our literary festivals as platforms that promote, preserve and spread awareness of literature and diverse cultures was very rewarding.
I love JBM and its intimacy and look forward to it next year.
I enjoyed listening, sharing and being a part of the panel discussions and agents round table…One is proud to see how JBM is going from strength to strength.
It was a pleasure to participate in the festival directors’ roundtable. Networking and keeping each other informed about our activities is immensely important.