📚 Let’s Stop Waiting for Demand—Let’s Create It!
Creating demand for children’s books in India isn’t just a publishing objective—it’s a social responsibility. As screen time skyrockets and reading declines, the publishing industry must step up with proactive, inventive solutions.
At the Bindwel Book Roundtable 2024, M N Pandey, Managing Director at Avantika Printers, shared practical, forward-thinking insights that challenge the status quo. With over three decades in publishing, print, and advertising, his advice rings with both passion and clarity.
“Demand and supply ye business hai kya? Galat hai. Demand hume create karna padta hai.” — M N Pandey
💡 Why Just Follow When You Can Lead?
Pandey began by flipping the conventional supply-demand narrative on its head. Instead of waiting for children’s book demand to rise, he encouraged publishers to be the catalyst.
- Demand doesn’t emerge on its own.
- The market grows when someone starts building it.
- Taking initiative creates opportunities for everyone.
He compared market creation to opening a shop: without the first mover, no ecosystem develops. The same logic applies to children’s literature.
🎉 Birthday Parties, Storybooks & Strategy
“Kyon hum unko ek achchhi storyboard book nahi de sakte?” — M N Pandey
Pandey shared a powerful example. At a birthday party with 50 children, instead of return gifts worth Rs. 200, what if each child got a beautifully illustrated storybook?
The results?
- The book circulates to schools and communities.
- It becomes a topic of curiosity and excitement.
- Reading enters the child’s social space organically.
That’s how publishers can turn a simple gift into grassroots marketing—creating demand, not waiting for it.
🗣️ Speak Their Language: Localization is Key
Pandey didn’t stop at product innovation. He emphasized the power of publishing in local languages.
“Jo bachcho ki language hai, toh jab tak aap usko nahi karenge, education ko aage nahi badha sakte.”
His message?
- Don’t confine innovation to Delhi-NCR.
- Collaborate with regional creators in Chennai, Karnataka, Hyderabad, and more.
- Produce books in languages children actually use.
Cultural relevance breeds deeper connections. The child who hears a story in their mother tongue is far more likely to engage, retain, and love reading.
📦 From Board Books to Embedded Video: Format Meets Fun
At Avantika, Pandey is reimagining what a children’s book can be. He’s producing:
- Board books with superior binding.
- Books featuring embossed logos and layered boxes.
- Titles with integrated video elements that surprise and delight.
This fusion of print and interactive storytelling is setting new standards—and turning reading into a multisensory adventure.
It’s not just innovation; it’s redefinition.
🧩 PUR Binding: Small Steps, Big Impact
Back in 2011, Pandey was one of the earliest adopters of PUR (Polyurethane Reactive) binding in India. Out of the first three machines introduced by Bindwel, Avantika had one.
“I have pushed that Pivar binding to the market… Today, customers expect it.”
This investment proved visionary. Now, customers ask for PUR binding by name. Bindwel’s pioneering post-press technology helped set the benchmark for durability and premium quality.
It’s proof that when publishers take the first step, the market follows.
📣 Who Will Take the Leap?
“If we are not initiating, then who will?” — M N Pandey
Pandey’s closing note was a challenge to all industry leaders—printers, publishers, and content creators. The industry can’t afford to wait.
What it needs now:
- Fearless experimentation
- Hyper-local content
- Binding innovations that ensure books last—and matter
Bindwel supports this evolution through cutting-edge bookbinding solutions and initiatives like Gift a Book to a Child, which has already delivered over 100,000 books to children across India.
🚀 Let’s Not Just Publish—Let’s Pioneer
Pandey’s speech was more than a business talk. It was a manifesto for transformation. He reminded us that creating Demand for Children’s Books in India begins with changing how we think, produce, and distribute books.
By:
- Turning every return gift into a reading moment
- Printing in languages kids dream in
- Delivering stories in formats they’ve never seen before
At Bindwel, we’re committed to supporting this movement with durable, beautiful, and innovative post-press solutions. It’s time to lead the change, not follow the trend.
Stay ahead of the curve in the world of bookbinding!
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