This one-year project attempts to house the largest and most popular selection of foreign classics in a single bookstore. This project will give readers a literary experience that enables them to discover previously undiscovered authors and texts that are just as relevant today as they were when they were first published.

Penguin has teamed with five locations of the venerable bookshop chain Bahrisons in Delhi. In Mumbai, Penguin has partnered with Kitab Khana, another venerable bookstore known for being housed in a historic structure. Penguin is working with Blossoms, a renowned independent bookshop in Bangalore that has long served as a gathering place for readers. The cooperation will be run by Starmark in Kolkata, one of the cities’ forerunners in large-format book retail.

The Penguin Classics store in each of these bookstores will provide goods and a curated selection of suggestions under several categories, including romance, LGBTQ literature, mystery, thriller, and sci-fi, in addition to becoming home to our most cherished and well-known classics collections. These carefully chosen classics will draw in both current and new readers.

Whether you are a bookworm or not, Penguin Classics are regarded as a keeper for life because to the life-changing reading experiences, the exquisite covers, and the special editions. They frequently provide as a starting point for those who are unfamiliar with classic literature. The Penguin Book of Feminist Writing, The Penguin Book of Migration Literature, and The Penguin Book of Mermaids are just a few of the interesting collections of works available for more seasoned readers.

“Taking a cue from the success of our last two editions of the Penguin Classics Festival, we are launching the Penguin Classics Stores at select bookstores across the country. Classics are not just a genre; they are timeless and a perennial favourite. Over the years, these books have only grown in popularity and demand, and it is an honour and privilege, as the home to almost all the classics, that we, along with our trusted retail partners, can create a haven for book enthusiasts to indulge in the unexplored and exceptional world of literary masterpieces,” Nandan Jha, executive vice-president, sales and product and business development at Penguin Random House India, said.

As the year goes on, Penguin hopes to launch a student volunteer program in conjunction with these bookshops to develop ambassadors for the Penguin Classics Store. These enthusiastic ambassadors will support readers in finding underappreciated and uncommon literary treasures, offer tailored suggestions, and promote a sense of community within the store.

“From The Epic of Gilgamesh to the birth of Modernism, covering the greatest works of fiction, poetry, drama, history, and philosophy, Penguin Classics has been running since 1946 and encompasses over 500 authors, 1,250 books, and 4,000 years of world literature. Navigating this breadth can be a challenge for readers, so we are delighted to be partnering with some of the best bookshops in India on our Penguin Classics Store, to create dedicated spaces where readers can rediscover familiar stories as well as make new discoveries from across the list,” Sam Voulters, brand director of Penguin Classics, said.