Katha-O-Kahini: A Kolkata Publisher and Bookseller Since 1989
By KOK Books · Published · 5 min read
Katha-O-Kahini (Book Sellers) Pvt. Ltd. is the company behind KOK Books. It has published and sold books from Kolkata for more than three decades. This is a short account of where it came from and what it does today, based on the company's own published profile.
Key points
- Katha-O-Kahini (Book Sellers) Pvt. Ltd. was incorporated in Kolkata on 2 August 1989, with roots in College Street.
- It publishes more than 800 of its own titles and works with over 850 authors.
- Its distribution network serves over 800 schools across West Bengal and neighbouring regions.
- In 2008 it received the Distinguished Booksellers Award in West Bengal from the Federation of Indian Publishers.
From College Street, 1989
College Street has been the centre of Kolkata's book trade for generations; the neighbourhood is simply called Boi Para, the book quarter. Katha-O-Kahini was incorporated there on 2 August 1989, and its flagship bookshop still stands at College Square.
Publisher and bookseller
The company works on both sides of the trade. As a publisher it has more than 800 proprietary titles, across literature, school and academic books, and works with over 850 authors. As a bookseller and distributor it represents Indian and international publishers; its profile names Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press and Penguin Random House among them.
Its catalogue runs from KG to postgraduate level: school books for CBSE, ICSE, NCERT and the West Bengal boards, higher-education and professional books, competitive-exam preparation, children's books, fiction and non-fiction.
Schools and reach
Katha-O-Kahini's distribution network serves more than 800 schools across West Bengal, along with institutions in Odisha, Guwahati, Sikkim and Bhutan. It operates through retail and wholesale outlets in Kolkata and branches in other cities of Eastern India.
Recognition
In 2008 the Federation of Indian Publishers gave the company its Distinguished Booksellers Award in West Bengal. The company is a member of the Federation of Indian Publishers, New Delhi, and of the Publishers' & Booksellers' Association of Bengal.
KOK Books: the online shop
As more readers began to look for books online, Katha-O-Kahini opened KOK Books at kokbooks.com. It brings the same range to readers anywhere in India: search, order and pay online, and the books are delivered to your address.
Frequently asked questions
When was Katha-O-Kahini established?
Katha-O-Kahini (Book Sellers) Pvt. Ltd. was incorporated on 2 August 1989 in Kolkata, West Bengal.
Is Katha-O-Kahini the same as KOK Books?
Yes. KOK is short for Katha-O-Kahini, and KOK Books (kokbooks.com) is the company's online bookshop.
What does Katha-O-Kahini publish?
It publishes more than 800 of its own titles across literature, school and academic books, and works with over 850 authors.
Where is Katha-O-Kahini based?
In Kolkata. Its head office is at 100 A, Kabi Sukanta Sarani, Beleghata, Kolkata 700085, and its flagship bookshop is at College Square.