DC Books
{{short description|Indian book publishing company based in Kerala}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{Advert|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox publisher
| image = 200px
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| founded = {{Start date and age|1974||}}
| founder =Dominic Chacko Kizhakemuri
| country = India
| headquarters = Kottayam, Kerala
| distribution =
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| url = {{URL|https://www.dcbooks.com/}}
}}
DC Books is a book publisher based in Kerala, India. It publishes books in Malayalam.
DC Books
DC Books[http://dcbooks.com dcbooks.com] is a publisher and bookseller with headquarters in Kottayam, Kerala, India. It has published over 6,500 titles, mainly literature in Malayalam{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}, but also including children's literature, poetry, reference, biography, self-help, yoga, management titles, and foreign translations.
DC Media is the media division of DC Books. DC Media publishes five magazines including Education Insider,{{cite web|url=http://educationinsider.net/ |title=Asias largest circulated Education Magazine |publisher=Education Insider |access-date=2013-11-17}} Asia's leading magazine on education; Future Medicine,{{cite web |url=http://futuremedicineonline.com/ |title=Asia's largest circulated magazine on Medical Industry |publisher=Futuremedicineonline.com |access-date=2013-11-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121127142943/http://futuremedicineonline.com/ |archive-date=27 November 2012 |url-status=dead }} a magazine on the Asian medical industry; Emerging Kerala,{{cite web |url=http://emkerala.com/aboutus |title=Emerging Kerala - Emergin KeralaAbout Us |access-date=2012-11-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120608230240/http://emkerala.com/aboutus |archive-date=2012-06-08 }} 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 DC. At that time, DC was secretary of the Sahithya Pravarthaka Co-operative Society, a cooperative venture of Malayalam writers. The society helped writers with business and publishing details and instituted a standard royalty of 30-40%, as well as the system of an 'advance' payment for their books to help enable them to devote themselves to writing full-time. When DC 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19990129/02950505.html |title=para. 4-5 |publisher=Indianexpress.com |access-date=2013-11-17 }}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Their bookclub scheme allows buyers to build a library of their own by buying books on installments. In 1977, Current Books became its sister business. In 2001, DC Books launched dcbooks.com, an Indian local language bookstore with over 4,000 titles.[http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/ew/2005/04/04/stories/2005040400020100.htm The Hindu Business Line : Quiet flows the Puzha] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930224121/http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/ew/2005/04/04/stories/2005040400020100.htm |date=30 September 2007 }} In 2004, DC Books partnered with Corner Books to open a New Delhi branch for Keralites in Delhi.{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/05/13/stories/2004051301060300.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025214852/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/05/13/stories/2004051301060300.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=25 October 2012 | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu | title=Books, Kerala books | date=13 May 2004}}
DC Books is the publisher of several translation dictionaries used by professionals and South Asian Linguists,{{cite web | url=http://listserv.linguistlist.org/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0212&L=vyakaran&P=193 | title=Linguist Listserv, nos. 11-13 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228214126/http://listserv.linguistlist.org/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0212&L=vyakaran&P=193 | archive-date=2008-02-28 }}{{cite web | url=http://www.keralalawsect.org/books_new2.html | title=Government of Kerala, Law Library, Acquisitions | date=November 2007 | url-status=usurped | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716191913/http://www.keralalawsect.org/books_new2.html | archive-date=2011-07-16 }} 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:{{cite web|url=http://dcpress.net/dcbooks.asp | title=Welcome to DC Books | access-date=4 October 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080609005829/http://dcpress.net/dcbooks.asp |archive-date=9 June 2008 }} non-fiction, literature, translations, and reference books
- Kairali Mudralayam:[http://dcpress.net/kairali.asp]{{dead link|date=November 2013}} popular fiction, including children's books and translations
- Kairali Children's Book Trust:[http://dcpress.net/KCBT.asp]{{dead link|date=November 2013}} 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.{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2004/02/12/stories/2004021202170300.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040311103426/http://www.hindu.com/2004/02/12/stories/2004021202170300.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=11 March 2004 | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu | title=Awards for DC Books | date=12 February 2004}}
- 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.totstat.com/clientele.asp |title=Clientele - Total Quality Consultants |access-date=2010-11-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080503032033/http://www.totstat.com/clientele.asp |archive-date=2008-05-03 }} and {{cite web |url=http://dcpress.net/aboutus.asp |title=Welcome to DC Books.com-The first ISO Certified Publishing House in India |access-date=2007-11-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071207174207/http://dcpress.net/aboutus.asp |archive-date=2007-12-07 }}
Controversy
In 2004, DC Books published a translated version of Britannica Concise Encyclopædia into Malayalam in the name Britannica Malayalam Encyclopedia.{{cite web |title=Britannica in Malayalam |url=http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/lf/2002/09/20/stories/2002092001770200.htm |website=The Hindu |date=September 20, 2002}}{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} The book won an award from the Federation of Indian Publishers in 2004.{{cite web |title=Encyclopaedia Britannica wins awards |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/02/19/stories/2004021901520400.htm |website=The Hindu Businessline |date=February 18, 2004}}
The sale of the book was banned by a Consumer Court due to numerous factual errors, rendering it an erroneous reference. The court also found that unfair trade practices were employed by the publishers, namely DC Books, Kerala and Encyclopædia Britannica India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of Encyclopædia Britannica Inc.{{cite web |last1=George |first1=Sanu |title=Errors in Encyclopaedia Britannica in Malayalam |url=http://in.news.yahoo.com/040810/43/2fffq.html |website=Yahoo News |publisher=IANS |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060115095834/http://in.news.yahoo.com/040810/43/2fffq.html |archive-date=15 January 2006 |date=August 8, 2004}}
DC Books Clubs and Festivals
The DC International Book Fair{{cite web|url=http://www.dcbookfair.com/ |title=dcbookfair.com |publisher=dcbookfair.com |access-date=2013-11-17}} 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
File:DC Books HQ, Kottayam.jpg
The headquarters of DC Books on Good Shepherd Street in Kottayam houses an art gallery, hosting exhibits of modern and traditional paintings and sculptures.{{cite web|url=http://www.india9.com/i9show/D-C-Books-58162.htm |title=D C Books in Kottayam India |publisher=India9.com |date=2005-08-19 |access-date=2013-11-17}}
DC Media
DC Media,{{cite web |url=http://dcmediacorp.com/ |title=Untitled-1 |publisher=Dcmediacorp.com |access-date=2013-11-17 |archive-date=22 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122054634/http://www.dcmediacorp.com/ |url-status=dead }} 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.