Seagull Books is an Indian publishing house based in Kolkata, West Bengal, known internationally for its lists in literature in translation, theatre, cinema, art, and cultural studies. The firm publishes works by authors writing in a wide range of languages, with a particular emphasis on bringing European, African, Asian, and Latin American writing into English.
| Name | Seagull Books |
|---|---|
| Type | Independent publishing house |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder | Naveen Kishore |
| Headquarters | Kolkata, West Bengal, India |
| Industry | Book publishing |
| Focus areas | Literature in translation, theatre, cinema, art, cultural studies |
Seagull Books was established in 1982 by Naveen Kishore in Calcutta (now Kolkata). It began with a focus on the performing and visual arts in India, publishing material on Indian theatre, film, and the arts that had limited representation in mainstream trade publishing at the time. Over the years, the imprint expanded its scope to become one of the few Indian houses with a substantial international list in literary translation.
The publisher is known for commissioning and producing English translations of significant authors from continental Europe and other regions, with works appearing in series organised by language and region. Translated lists have featured writers from German, French, Italian, Swiss, African, and other literatures. Seagull also maintains lists devoted to Indian writing, theatre studies, and writing on cinema and the arts.
Seagull Books is recognised for the design of its volumes, with cover and book design overseen in-house. Its catalogues and seasonal listings are themselves treated as designed publications.
The company runs the Seagull School of Publishing in Kolkata, which offers training programmes in editing, design, production, marketing, and other aspects of book publishing, intended for entrants to the publishing profession in India.
Seagull Books distributes its titles globally, with arrangements that have included partnerships with university presses for distribution in North America and other markets. This has allowed the imprint to reach an international academic and literary readership while remaining headquartered in India.
Seagull Books is frequently cited as an example of an Indian independent publisher operating successfully on the international literary stage, particularly in the field of translated literature. Its catalogue has contributed to the availability in English of authors from a number of European and non-European literary traditions, and it has played a role in sustaining publishing on Indian theatre and the arts.