The Image Story

At one end there is a book and at the other is the reader desirous of buying and reading books. In order to bridge the gulf between the two Suresh Dalal launched IMAGE in 1989 as an individual venture. He started with publishing books written by him and also books that he liked and enjoyed reading. He started Image book-family club scheme under which books would be sent on payment of annual subscription.

Caravan Moves On...

Suresh Dalal retired in 1994 from teaching and his university post of Vice-chancellor. He was now in a position to devote full time to his pet dream of publishing books and spreading book-culture. A good cause always gets support from all sides. Well known industrialist and a book-lover Navinbhai Dave assured financial support. He and his son Gopal Dave not only gave financial support but also provided infrastructure and office-space so as to put book-publication-activity on a sound footing. This help came as a shot in the arm. Novelist, short-story writer and biographer Mahesh Dave took up the work of looking after administration and distribution from Ahmedabad. Short-story writer and drama-critic Utpal Bhayani accepted the responsibility as financial advisor. Artist and computer technocrat Apurva Ashar has been with IMAGE from the very beginning. Attractive printing and aesthetic appeal of IMAGE-books owe much to him. Later on Hiten Anandpara joined as Manager in Mumbai.

It was in this manner that IMAGE PUBLICATIONS PVT. LTD. (IMAGE, for short) was incorporated as a company in 1994. However, IMAGE is not merely a company. It is much more than that. Umashanker Joshi once said, “Like a writer, a publishing house should also be committed to social good.’’ IMAGE is committed to the goal of such an enlightened publishing house.

Companies are usually formed for profit-making but IMAGE has treaded a different path. Book-lovers’ warmth and support are its capital, it deals not in goods but in WORDS and enrichment of Gujarati language is its profit. In economic parlance, it runs on the basis of no-profit no-loss principle.

The Glory that a Book is

A book is a thing of beauty and a joy for ever. IMAGE wants to add to the dignity and glory of books. For IMAGE books are not merely manufactured goods. Every book is Saraswati incarnate. It is an icon of the goddess of learning. Just as a Vaishnav devotee adores and adorns the icon of Lord Krishna in the form of Lal-bal Shrinathji, we at the IMAGE adore and adorn a book. Only then we publish it. The book should be of a high literary quality. It should cater to varied interests. It should be attractively printed and should have a high degree of aesthetic appeal. It should be so eye-catching and sleek that a reader will like to pick it up and peruse it. This is the first step towards putting across a book to the people. In the last eight years IMAGE has brought out more than 400 such titles. They are listed in our catalogue at Appendix-1. IMAGE intends to bring out such 50 new titles every year in order to enrich Gujarati literature.