A book and a Bengali are rarely parted. But, some times they go separate ways when the Bengali moves out of his home state for studies or employment. However, even that gap is expected to be narrowed now, with a trio of entrepreneurs from Bengaluru launching a website that carries only Bengali-language literature!
The website called www.boi4u.com — co-founded by Subhasis Bhattacharjee, Mahua Bhattacharjee and Sathi Chakraborty — went live on February 1 on the occasion of Saraswati Puja. Significantly, Saraswati is the goddess of learning, and is associated with books and the various performing and fine arts.
Beginning and expansion
Speaking to International Business Times, India, Subhasis Bhattacharjee dwelled on the books available through the website: "We are currently stocking materials from Ananda Publishers. However, we are in talks with two more Kolkata-based major publishing houses, and will start selling books from them soon."
He also said that while the books are being delivered only in Bengaluru for the moment, there are plans to extend the services to Hyderabad within a month, and Chennai by mid-2017. Bhattacharjee has a shop selling Ananda Publishers' books in RT Nagar, and puts up stalls at Bengali cultural events across the city.
"We then plan an all-India expansion, and subsequently will deliver books at international destinations," said Bhattacharjee. But don't other e-commerce websites already do that? "Yes, they do. But we are providing books directly from the publishers, so we will ensure not only great quality but also cut down on the waiting time for ordered books to one to two days from a week or more," he told IBTimes India.
More than books in future
Bhattacharjee also said that although the website will be selling only books for now, there are plans to sell DVDs as well, but that will come later. He also said that at some point the website would start selling authentic handicraft from West Bengal.
"We are in contact with some artisans from Bengal who are not represented anywhere, and find it difficult to get their products to the market at the right price. We intend to start stocking and selling their products soon. There are many people who may not be able to read Bengali or are not interested in books, but they will definitely be attracted to the handicraft," he said.
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