Founded in 1924 by Ganesh R. Bhatkal, Popular Prakashan is one of India’s oldest independent publishing houses with a diverse publishing portfolio across English, Marathi and multiple Indian languages. His successors Sadanand Bhatkal, Ramdas Bhatkal and Harsha Bhatkal have taken this unique publishing house to new heights and have made it a name synonymous with high-quality publishing in English and Marathi. Having pioneered the fields of social sciences and medical publishing in India, Popular Prakashan also prides itself in producing high quality content on various other subjects such as Cookery, Health and Wellness, Ayurveda, Management, Autobiographies, Biographies, Anthropology, Fiction, Arts, Crafts, Indian Classical Music, Children’s books, History, Literature, Philosophy, Plays, Politics and Women’s Studies. 

Some of our English authors include world renowned award-winning celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor, global holistic health guru Dr Mickey Mehta, superstar Amitabh Bachchan, leading health and wellness management expert Dr Sarita Davare, distinguished researcher and educationist Dr Prachee Javadekar, sociologist G S Ghurye and A R Desai, D D Kosambi, prolific biographer Dhananjay Keer, award-winning author Bhalchandra Nemade, prominent Indian artists like Sakti Burman, S G Vasudev and V Ramesh; stalwarts Dr R S Satoskar, Dr S D Bhandarkar, Dr Nirmala N Rege, Dr V N Shrikhande, Dr H. S. Palep, Dr Mukesh Batra, prolific architect Kamu Iyer, renowned chefs like Karen Anand, Asha Khatau, Ananya Banerjee, Poonam Kaur Bindra, Roopa Nabar, restaurateur Deepa Suhas Awchat, angel investor co-founder of Sony Entertainment Jayesh A Parekh, Nilesh Sathe, top management in LIC, former IRDAI member, currently Advisor (Finance) – National Highways Authority India, Kapil Pathare, Director – Maxwell Industries, actor and director Mahesh Thakur and table maestro Pandit Sadanand Naimpalli, sports management guru Vinit Karnik, cricket presenter and stand-up comedian Vikram Sathaye, live television commentator and sports journalist Chandresh Narayanan, to name only a few.  

Popular Prakashan’s association with Encyclopaedia Britannica, Star Television, Discovery Channel, Chandamama Publications, National Geographic, Walt Disney Company, DeAugostini, Westland, Elsevier, Harper Collins, FoodFood Channel and others has ensured that its books are widely distributed in India and abroad.

Popular Prakashan has published numerous books in the visual, literary and performing arts as well. The Dialogue Series by Ranjit Hoskote and Nancy Adajania, biographies of S G Vasudev, Senaka Senanayake and books on works of Sudhir Patwardhan, Sakti Burman, Sunil Gawde among others are just some in the visual arts while the 3 volume Sankshipt Shabdkosh , Bhatkhande’s multi volume Hindustānī Saṅgīta Paddhati, Pandit Birju Maharaj’s Ras Gunjan, a 3 volume treatise on Marathi theatre by Makarand Sathe are other notable books that have added to the literature available in their respective subjects.

Our extensive publishing list in Marathi has made a significant contribution to Marathi culture and literature. Some of our Marathi authors include V V Shirwadkar, Vinda Karandikar, Vijay Tendulkar and Gangadhar Gadgil, Bhalchandra Nemade and Shyam Manohar. Of the four Dnyanpeeth awards won by Marathi writers, three are part of Popular’s stable — Poet and playwright V V Shirwadkar, poet Vinda Karandikar and novelist Bhalchandra Nemade.