Editor-in-chief is one of the most exalted positions in the publishing world. They create policies, make the biggest decisions in publishing, and ensure that the published material adheres to industry norms. To achieve this position, you need more than just education. You need a great deal of awareness of current affairs, a good understanding of the publishing industry, and an interesting and varied portfolio. In this article we look at 5 people who hold this role at publishing houses in India.
1. Milee Ashwarya
The editorial director of Random House India, Milee Ashwarya was appointed to the post in 2014 and looks after Ebury India, Shobhaa De Books, Portfolio, Random Business, Penguin Ananda and Metro Reads subsidiaries. An alumni of Hindu College, Delhi University, she completed her graduation in English literature and subsequently started work in 2008 with Rupa & Co. Currently, she oversees books and publishing on lifestyle and business.
2. Karthika V.K.
Karthika V.K. is the Publisher and Chief Editor of Harper Collins Publishers India. She completed her M.Phil from University of Hyderabad, and later studied English at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). She got her first job at Penguin India as an Executive Editor, which was her first stepping stone to success in the publishing field. Harper Collins India is the second largest English language publisher in India and Karthika’s role in it is to make decisions regarding what to publish, edit manuscripts, and collaborate with the production and marketing departments for best results.
3. Indira Chandrasekhar
The founder of Tulika Books, Indira Chandrasekhar (not to be confused with the founder of Out of Print magazine) has a rich history in the editorial field. Based in New Delhi, the company publishes scholarly and academic books on social sciences, humanities and arts. She has worked as a teacher at both University of Bangalore and University of Delhi and started her publishing career at Macmillan India. She has also worked as a freelance editor. She prefers to work with left intellectuals and academics. She is also one of the eight partners responsible for setting up the IPDA (Independent Publishers’ Distribution Alternatives) to explore different avenues to independent publishing.
4. Urvashi Butalia
Urvashi Butalia is the well known author of The Other Side of Silence, a book based on a collection of interviews from survivors of the Partition. She started her career in Delhi with Oxford University Press, then moved to London and worked with Zed Books. She is noted for being the founder and Editor of the first feminist publishing house in India, called Kali for Women, in 1984. In 2003, she also founded and is now currently editor and publisher of Zubaan Books, which apart from feminist titles, also deals with fiction and children’s books. For her achievements, she was awarded the Padma Shri in 2011.
5. Manisha Chaudhry
Currently working as Content and Editorial Head at Pratham Books, a non-profit organization, Manisha Chaudhry has a degree in English from Delhi University, and another in Mass Communications from Jamia Islamia. Her first job was with Kali for Women, after which she switched over to her current job. She is also a well known writer and translator. She has done a lot of work in promoting books in tribal languages so that children could read in these languages and is known for her dedication to working with underprivileged children.
Image credit: Horia Varlan on flickr and reproduced under Creative Commons 2.0[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://writingtipsoasis.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/IMG_20141217_101736441.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Kavitha is a freelance content writer and French translator, and has been working in this field since 2008. She has degrees in computer applications and international business and has a background in business and international trade. She enjoys learning languages and is currently learning Japanese. Her interests vary from books and writing to travelling and history.[/author_info] [/author]