Gita Wolf’s Chennai-based publishing house Tara Books’ handmade offerings are produced in collaboration with both Indian and global artisans. These thought-provoking titles, aimed at younger readers, navigate cultures, societies and geographies with sensitivity, says Lavanya Mohan
YOU’RE OFTEN QUOTED SAYING THAT YOU’RE TRYING TO REVIVE THE PHYSICAL FORM OF THE BOOK WHEN EVERYONE ELSE IS WRITING ITS OBITUARY. GIVEN THE NUMEROUS DISTRACTIONS THAT CHILDREN HAVE IN THE FORM OF SCREENS AND GADGETS TODAY, ISN’T IT AN UPHILL TASK?
About 10 years ago, there was this huge worry in the publishing industry when the Kindle arrived. But the physical book publishing industry is still vibrant because the book satisfies senses that the screen doesn’t. For children, it’s more difficult because the screen is addictive. Today, it’s very tough to say ‘go read’ to your child. It will require time and effort on the part of the parent and the educator to instil the habit of reading in the child — maybe by creating rituals, like reading before bed. Slowly, they’ll start asking for the book and soon enough they’ll have their favourite ones. The publisher’s job is to create good books, but it’s the parent or guardian’s job to get the child to read.
WASN’T THAT THE REASON WHY TARA BOOKS WAS BORN? YOU STARTED THE PUBLISHING HOUSE BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T FIND MANY INTERESTING BOOKS IN THE MARKET.
Yes, if you asked me who my ideal reader is, I would say myself. Twenty-two-years ago Tara Books was started to create books that we would have liked to buy or see on shelves. You essentially do something because you like it, and if it communicates to others, all the better!
YOU HAVE A STRONG ROLE IN WRITING AND SHAPING THE BOOKS THAT ARE PUBLISHED BY TARA. HOW DOES THAT WORK?
Denne historien er fra July-August 2018-utgaven av Verve.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra July-August 2018-utgaven av Verve.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Making Amends
This generation’s penchant for thoughtless consumption gets Madhu Jain roiled up, and she wonders if nature is getting its own back for our missteps…
Diamonds With Provenance
In keeping with the company’s commitment to environmental and social responsibility, Anisa Kamadoli Costa, chief sustainability officer at Tiffany & Co. and chairman and president at The Tiffany & Co. Foundation, enlightens Shirin Mehta on the efforts that make the jewellery giant an industry leader in transparency
SARTORIAL ECONOMICS
Sisters Tashi and Tara Mitra demonstrate to Akanksha Pandey how deviating from the mainstream can bend the way we think, live and dress
NOTES TO SELF
An anthropomorphized tiger’s perspective, a viscerally worded futuristic interpretation of loss, a critique of performative activism, a meta reflection on the earth’s crises. Told through different lenses, Janaki Lenin, Indrapramit Das, Keshava Guha and Roshan Ali’s stories — written exclusively for Verve — attempt to make sense of the fraught reality that we exist in today
The Eternal Optimist
As Generation X and xennials grapple with fully transitioning to conscious living, young millennials and Generation Z are leading the charge to reverse human-caused environmental damage. Sahar Mansoor, founder and CEO of the Bengaluru-based zero-waste social enterprise Bare Necessities, has a simple overarching philosophy: consume less and stay positive. Verve gets deeper into the mindset of the action-oriented earth advocate
Redemption SONGS
Indian music festivals have been demonstrating a refreshing sense of responsibility in terms of their ecological impact. Interacting with stakeholders who strive to make these large-scale events greener, Akhil Sood investigates the reasons behind the improved attitudes of audiences and the increase in corporate support.
earth hour
Crafted using nature’s elements, these dials draw inspiration from the many heterogeneous materials and hues around us.Verve turns its lens onto a mesmerising few
THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
Children are holding adults accountable for both the grim future they are facing and the toll this is taking on their mental health. Madhumita Bhattacharyya initiates conversations with families of young climate activists and observes the extent to which parenting has changed in the face of catastrophe
NATURAL JUSTICE
Most of us are only just waking up to the urgency of climatic action. When the stakes are so high, what can individual action solve? Mridula Mary Paul, an environmental policy expert, is proof of the tenacity needed to effect systemic change. It’s not glamorous, and the rewards are few and far between, but that doesn’t stop her from aiming big, finds Anandita Bhalerao
Along For The Ride
Navigating Indian streets as a woman is hard enough. But what is it like while riding a bicycle? Bengaluru-based Shreya Dasgupta, a regular cyclist, speaks to five urban women about the pros and cons of this increasingly popular means of transport.
