06 May,2026 05:04 PM IST | Mumbai | Fiona Fernandez
(Front) Amrita Somaiya and (right) T Jagath at Kitab Khana, which opened in 2011. Pics/Ashish Raje
When we had interviewed Kitab Khana's co-founder, Amrita Somaiya for this newspaper soon after the independent bookstore had opened for the city's space-starved bibliophiles, Fort still had a few standalone bookshops. Today, that number is dismal, unless you include the secondhand vendors near Fountain, and in Kalbadevi. A harsh reality check for the Maximum City.
Amrita Somaiya
No wonder, most readers would agree that 15 years is a long time in the life of a Mumbai bookstore. When the founders celebrated their landmark anniversary recently with an intimate get-together at the Somaiya Bhavan address, well-wishers including customers spanning generations, and authors, showed up to raise a toast to the cultural oasis. In a freewheeling chat, Somaiya and Chief Operating Officer, T Jagath discuss its past, present and future.
T Jagath
Excerpts from the interview
Tell us about Kitab Khana's philosophy that has enabled it to survive and thrive.
Amrita Somaiya (AS): Ours is a philosophy of interpersonal relationship and customer connection. Knowing customers and their preferences has set us apart, and has also sustained the bookstore. When bookstores around us are closing, or becoming department stores, our love for books continues to keep this space alive. This is a passion venture. It gives us enough to keep it going, and to keep our staff going.
Audience at a book reading in the bookstore. Pic/Atul Kamble
T Jagath (TJ): Customer loyalty has been built over time. Readers often spot a book elsewhere, and reach out to us for a copy. Our discounts are a huge draw. It's also about trust. We are the only standalone to have direct accounts with all Indian publishers.
What challenges do independent bookstores like yours face?
AS: In our early days, Kindle was the new big thing in the market, and everybody proclaimed that the e-store would wipe out independent bookstores. Digital book sales will always exist. But over time, our philosophy hasn't changed. There has been a growing loyalty and customer awareness towards such bookstores. Unless urgent, most customers don't mind waiting for a day, or even a week for us to source a particular title.
TJ: The touch-and-feel of a book is irreplaceable.
AS: After COVID-19, I noticed a different customer type enter our bookstore. These are young people who've been online either for studies or their work. They seek relief in bookstores. They want to reconnect with the real world.
... and their being social media-savvy has aided in footfalls?
AS: I used to think of it as a hindrance (smiles). But in reality, the 20-something generation has helped bring people into the store. I am unsure if they buy books; there might be no direct conversion into sales, but they definitely bring in other customers. There is also a resurgence in the city's reading culture with book communities and clubs. These new groups are a post-lockdown phenomenon.
TJ: Social media helps in spreading the word and creating a buzz.
How much has goodwill impacted your existence?
AS: This is due to the amalgamation of years of hard work. We were pleasantly surprised to be included as the only Indian bookstore in the Bookshops of the World curation. Even the mention in London's Financial Times list of 20 most brilliant bookstores was a wonderful feeling. Whether social media, word of mouth, or reviews by booklovers led to it, we are unsure. The warmth and positive vibes draw people here.
TJ: We've earned their goodwill. Kitab Khana exists because of their [the owners'] passion. If owners don't possess it, it becomes just another business.
Could you share some of your favourite memories from over the years?
AS: My first memory would be of my 11-year-old daughter's presence during the opening of the bookstore. Observing her love for books, and being part of bringing Kitab Khana to life, was special.
Over the years, amazing authors, both global and Indian, have dropped by, from Sudha Murthy and Shashi Tharoor, to William Dalrymple, and His Holiness The Dalai Lama. When we opened, we received letters from writers, eminent personalities and politicians.
Post the fire in December 2020, there was an outpouring of love from all quarters. It sunk in at some level that the bookstore had a deep connect with its customers.
Your knowledgeable staff is the bookstore's USP...
AS: Absolutely. A majority of them have been with us since the start, from junior staffers, to Jagath. We do our best to engage them in enhancement skills, as it's necessary to grow a team. Since most of them moved from a bookstore [Strand Book Stall] they are knowledgeable. Jagath offers advice and feedback. There is continuous learning on the floor.
TJ: I always tell them [ground staff] that interacting with the customer is the best training.
Any plans for expansion?
AS: We've got offers from Pune and Ahmedabad. But it's impossible to replicate our team, from Jagath downwards. Our philosophy and USP is customer relationship, the curation, and the art of knowing each customer's preferences. Retaining that connection is important. Our ambiance is also critical, and plays a big role. So, the idea is logistically not possible.
What are your future plans?
AS: I hope to keep it alive for coming generations. I am confident that my three children have the passion to take it forward as they are all readers who value the importance of such spaces. It's in our family's DNA to nurture the bookstore, [in order] to preserve our culture and heritage, and to ensure that coming generations will have avenues to experience, to enjoy and reflect upon.
His Holiness The Dalai Lama
When His Holiness arrived at Kitab Khana, it was close to his dinner time because he doesn't eat after 4 pm. He was hungry, and so he requested a tea cake from our café. He knew he couldn't eat after that hour until the next morning. We were blessed and honoured by his presence that day.
Kitab Khana's bookshelves have always stocked translations. What's your reading of this market?
AS: It's been more challenging than not. They are difficult to source; it's tough to find the right translated material. The publishing world itself is facing this challenge. Translations need to capture the essence of the original. However, I believe, there is a huge gap. We faced that with a bestseller - now in its fifth print. It was written by my grandfather-in-law in Gujarati and was translated to English since I felt it was important from my own family to read it. Somehow, the essence of the original wasn't captured.
TJ: Many publishers have started translated works but it is not commercially viable. There is more interest in translations from South Indian languages as well as Bengali. There is also a dearth of bilingual authors. In fact, in our home state, only a few accomplished names exist for Marathi translations.
AS: Previously, the Indian Novels Collective was set up to support translated works. Sangita Jindal, Shinjini and Ashwini Kumar and I had come together to help translate books. The essence was to explore what these languages communicate, because we felt the link had been lost. However, we've been unable to help give it wings as much as we would have liked it to turn out. I am certainly keen to revive the platform.
