Dina N. Malhotra, the doyen of Indian publishing, loves the smell of books. He can instinctively spot a great book when he sees one. 

The printer's ink is addictive and infectious, something he grew up with, and which he celebrates in his memoirs "Dare to Publish".

After over five decades of consorting with writers and intellectuals and publishing some of the great names in Indian literature, the octogenarian publisher is on a roll, his passion for the printed word undiminished.

"One of the biggest delights of my long innings as a publisher has been to rub shoulders with literary greats like R.K. Narayan, Mulk Raj Anand, Prem Chand, Harivanshrai Bachchan, Amrita Pritam, Nayantara Sehgal, Kamala Markandeya et al. It wasn't just business; these interactions often evolved into lifelong friendships. Many of them even became my friends and confidants," the veteran publisher told IANS in an interview.

Tracing generational changes in the hype-infested world of publishing, Malhotra, president emeritus of the Federation of Indian Publishers, says: "Previously writers were more dedicated. The present generation is more profit-minded."

Fancy book launches at posh hotels are not exactly his style, but he is not your didactic monster spewing venom against market forces. "Thank god, we publishers don't show half-naked girls to sell books," the gentleman publisher quips.

A new class of well-paid buyers and patrons is emerging, the robustly optimistic publisher says, alluding to the burgeoning of new-age bookshops in the city that promises bibliophiles the additional pleasures of savouring an amazing variety of coffee or tea.

The man behind the spectacular success of Hind Pocket Books, he recalls with child-like delight the unspeakable highs of publishing best-sellers, including 500,000 copies of Gulshan Nanda's novel "`Jheel Ke Us Par".

Malhotra, who organised an International Publishers' Congress in 1992 in which over 1,000 publishers participated, is upbeat about the future.

"Now some 70,000 books are being published in India. In terms of production standards, they match international quality. Indian publishing is coming into its own."

Translation of regional language authors into English is another promising area for growth in the future.

"There is no dearth of writers in India, especially in 24 regional languages. But sadly, whatever comes in the English press, people take it as gospel. If our top authors were translated into English, we would have won a Nobel every alternate year."

Fired by idealism and nationalism, this pioneer of paperback publishing plans to do all he can to take reasonably priced books to villages and small towns in India - a huge untapped market waiting to be explored.

In the evening of his life, what nourishes him is the sacredness of his calling as a publisher.

"Intellectual curiosity and satisfaction are my chief perks. Publishing is a noble profession. If you feel something is worth doing, do it with courage."

In let-a-hundred-ideas bloom tone, he has some homespun advice for market-driven publishers: "Love your books, love your authors. Do not despair; ultimately, a good book will sell."

--Indo-Asian News Service