The National Book Trust, India (NBT) is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Education, Government of India, engaged in the publication and promotion of books. Headquartered in New Delhi, it functions as one of the country's principal government-owned publishers, producing literature in English, Hindi and several other Indian languages, and undertakes large-scale book promotion activities including the organisation of book fairs and reading promotion programmes.
| Name | National Book Trust, India |
|---|---|
| Type | Autonomous body / Government-owned publisher |
| Parent ministry | Ministry of Education, Government of India |
| Headquarters | New Delhi, India |
| Founded | 1957 |
| Founder | Government of India, during the prime ministership of Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Languages of publication | English, Hindi and other major Indian languages |
| Notable activity | New Delhi World Book Fair |
The National Book Trust was established in 1957 by the Government of India to encourage the production and dissemination of good literature at moderate prices, and to make books accessible to readers across the country in their own languages. The Trust was conceived in the early years after Independence as part of a broader effort to support education, literacy and a national reading culture.
It is registered as a society and operates with financial support from the Union Government, while functioning at arm's length from the ministry that administers it. Over the decades the administrative responsibility for NBT has rested with the ministry handling education and human resource development, currently the Ministry of Education.
NBT is governed by a Board of Trustees, with a Chairman appointed by the Government of India and a Director who functions as the chief executive responsible for day-to-day administration. Its editorial work is organised into language-wise and subject-wise units, supported by production, marketing and rights divisions. The Trust maintains regional offices and sales outlets in different parts of India to extend its distribution network.
As a state-supported publisher, the National Book Trust occupies a distinctive position in the Indian publishing landscape. By keeping prices accessible and by publishing in multiple Indian languages, including in scripts and languages with smaller commercial markets, it complements private publishers and helps sustain a multilingual literary ecosystem. Its translation programme has played a notable role in introducing readers to writing from regions other than their own, while its children's books and reading promotion activities have contributed to early literacy efforts.