An interview with

Karthika V K, Harper Collins, India

Bhoomika: Tell us something about your association with JNU. When did you join, which centre, etc?
Karthika:  I joined the Centre for English Studies in SLL&CS for a Ph.D in July 1992.

Bhoomika: How did you shift to publication from literature?
Karthika: It was a sheer accident. A friend had heard about a position at Penguin. I went to check it out and ended up getting the job of Editorial Assistant.

Bhoomika: How has JNU shaped your perception in relation to your profession? Karthika: Though I never managed to finish my doctorate, I spent three absolutely wonderful years in JNU. The subject of my dissertation was theatre and apart from Prof. GJV Prasad, my supervisor, I had a co-guide at the National School of Drama, Anuradha Kapoor. Between spending hours watching plays at Mandi House and sitting in on classes at the NSD and JNU, I learnt that I disliked the idea of teaching for the rest of my life. Nevertheless I wanted to stay with the world of words in some other way if possible. Publishing books became an extension of this desire. And the most important thing I took away from JNU, on hindsight, was to engage with every discussion/reading seriously, with as open a mind as possible.

Bhoomika: Tell us something about your work.
Karthika: At HarperCollins India, we publish trade books i.e. we do books that sell through book stores, for the general reader. My job involves deciding what could be published, and editing manuscripts in such a way as to bring out their full potential. It also of course involves liaising with production and sales and marketing departments to optimize the market potential of the books.

Bhoomika: Is there anything in your life which can be dedicated to JNU?
Karthika: Friendships. I owe three of my closest friends to my years in Godavari Hostel.

Bhoomika: Which aspects of JNU do you like the most?
Karthika: The dhabas of course.

Bhoomika: What message would you like to give to the JNU students?
Karthika: Leave before it gets too late!

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