Popular Prakashan is one of India’s oldest independent publishing houses, with a legacy that dates back to 1924. Founded by Ganesh R. Bhatkal as Popular Book Depot, it began with educational books and, by the 1950s, had expanded into the vital areas of social sciences and medicine—at a time when Indian academics were beginning to challenge colonial narratives.

The publishing house played a foundational role in shaping Indian social science discourse with landmark works by thinkers such as G. S. Ghurye, A. R. Desai, and D. D. Kosambi. These books, many of which remain in print today, became cornerstones of Indian social science education. Popular collaborated with leading institutions like Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) the Anthropological Survey of India (ASI), and the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), to build a strong list in social sciences, agriculture, and economics.

In medicine, Popular’s most enduring success has been Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics by Dr. Satoskar—now in its 27th edition and still a standard textbook after five decades.

In the early 2000s, Popular entered the trade and mass-market segments; most notably publishing over 250 titles with celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor, making him India’s best-selling author across genres. Popular also built a vibrant children’s list through partnerships with Discovery Channel, National Geographic, Chandamama, Sony Television, and Star TV, delivering engaging content tailored to young Indian readers in multiple languages.

Alongside its contributions to English language publishing, Popular Prakashan has had an equally distinguished history in Marathi publishing. Entering the field in 1952 with Kabutare by Gangadhar Gadgil and Kamlan by Arvind Gokhale, Popular quickly became a cornerstone of post-independence Marathi literature. With over 1,500 titles, the house has published landmark works of fiction, poetry, drama, literary criticism, history, and cultural studies, nurturing both canonical voices and new talent.

It is a matter of immense pride that three of the four Jnanpith Award-winning Marathi authors—V. V. Shirwadkar (Kusumagraj), Vinda Karandikar, and Bhalchandra Nemade—have been published by Popular Prakashan. Its acclaimed author list also includes Vijay Tendulkar, Dilip Chitre, Kiran Nagarkar, Ratnakar Matkari, Vasant Kanetkar, G. A. Kulkarni, Mahanor, Grace, Narayan Surve, Shyam Manohar, and Durga Bhagwat, among many others.

Popular continues to be associated with the next generation of celebrated Marathi authors, including Ajit Dalvi, Prashant Dalvi, Jayant Pawar, Makarand Sathe, Rajan Gavas, Krishnat Khot, Dasu Vaidya, Soumitra, Neerja, Prafulla Shiledar, Rahi Anil Barve, and Manaswini Lata Ravindra—many of whom have received recognition from the Sahitya Akademi and State literary bodies.

The publishing house has received two of the most prestigious awards in Marathi publishing: the Shri Pu. Bhagwat Puraskar (Government of Maharashtra) and the Maharashtra Foundation Award—being the inaugural recipient of both, a testament to its cultural impact.

Popular Prakashan has also contributed significantly to the documentation of India’s artistic heritage. Its notable English-language art and culture titles include The Dialogue Series by Ranjit Hoskote and Nancy Adajania, a visual arts encyclopedia in Marathi by Gulam Mohammed Sheikh, biographies of S. G. Vasudev and Senaka Senanayake (by Harsha Bhatkal), and monographs on the work of artists such as Sudhir Patwardhan, Sakti Burman, and Sunil Gawde. Other landmark publications include Sankshipt Shabdkosh (three volumes), Bhatkhande’s multi-volume Hindustani Sangeet Paddhati, Pandit Birju Maharaj’s Ras Gunjan, and Makarand Sathe’s definitive three-volume study of Marathi theatre.

Popular Prakashan is currently helmed by Ramdas Bhatkal, Harsha Bhatkal and Asmita Mohite. As it enters its second century, Popular remains dedicated to fostering intellectual excellence and cultural engagement across languages, disciplines, and generations—standing tall as one of India’s most trusted and visionary publishing houses.