Will adopt print on demand strategy, need to reach out to youngsters: NBT chairperson

PTI, Apr 13, 2024, 8:50 PM IST

Thane: National Book Trust India chairperson Professor Milind Marathe on Saturday said the institute would soon adopt a ”print on demand” strategy.

Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of a book launch here, he said it was important to adapt to changing trends in publishing in order to reach out to youngsters.

Highlighting the NBT’s recent initiatives, Marathe mentioned the PMYUVA 1 and PMYUVA 2 programmes as part of which promising writers under the age of 30 are provided with a stipend of Rs. 50,000 to write content targeted at youth readership.

”Interest in reading is declining among the younger generation. There is need to engage them through relevant and compelling literature,” he said.

Marathe said NBT, to mark 75 years of Independence, will collaborate with Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur and Delhi School of Economics to explore contemporary topics such as digital development and economic inclusion through collective writings to foster a deeper understanding of crucial issues.

The NBT is an autonomous body under the Union Ministry of Education.