Does India read for pleasure?

A recent article in an international publica tion sent the Indian readers into a tizzy and stirred a debate: does India read for pleasure, or are we merely a country of exam takers who rarely buy books for fun? While the claim seems harsh, especially given our packed literary festivals and bustling bookstores, the reality of India’s reading culture is far more nuanced. Exams and enjoyment For many, the habit of reading is often tied to a specific goal rather than pure relaxation.

Bhavna Faizullabhoy, Library Educator, notes that the motivation for picking up a book is rarely black or white. “I believe that it’s a mix. It depends on the context, in the context of schools and educational institutions, I think there is an emphasis on reading for academics and to get ahead, at least after a certain age. I feel that reading for pleasure needs to be encouraged even when a child crosses a certain grade in school as it’s at this point when the read ing joy diminishes, in the quest for reading to achieve and it be comes a chore.”

Despite the pressure of grades, new social en vironments are help ing to reclaim reading as a leisure activity. Faizullabhoy points to a growing trend of community-driven reading. “However I believe there are spaces where reading for pleasure is encouraged and there has been a surge of spaces that facilitate that in the recent years. In addition to Book Clubs which have been around for ages, there is reading in parks and open spaces, book stores, singles mixers.”

Her observation are offer a key insight: India reads, but often with purpose. Pleasure reading exists, but competes with academic performance. Shifting ecosystem From a bookseller’s perspective, the idea that India doesn’t read at all feels reduc- tive. Nidhi Gupta, Director, Crossword, argues that the culture is evolving rather than disappearing. “India has a deeply rooted literary culture with vi brant engagement across languages and formats.

Reading here has always been cultural, multilingual and community-driven — from mythology and regional classics to contemporary fiction and self- development. What’s changing is not the appetite for stories, but the format,” she explains. “To suggest that India doesn’t read for pleasure oversimplifies a far more dynamic and layered reality. The scale and success of our literature festivals, which draw thousands of passionate readers, clearly reflect a vibrant reading ecosystem.”

Gupta observes that the desire for a physical con nection to books has actually strengthened recently. “During and post-pandemic there was a significant dip in footfall as people were more inclined towards online buying. However, gradually the end of the pandemic people returned to bookstores seeking tactile, immersive experiences that online retail simply cannot replicate.