Question
Give an idea about the business aspects of the printing press.
Answer
The printing press industry in Calcutta and Bengal had significant commercial implications. Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar was a key figure in this industry and is considered the first commercial books vendor of modern Bengal. He established the Sanskrit Press in 1847 and became its absolute owner in 1856. From here, many copies of his and others’ works were printed regularly, and he earned a significant income from selling his educational books, making around three to four thousand rupees every month. He opened the Sanskrit Press Depository, the first book shop in College Street, and transferred the exclusive rights of his bookstore to Brajanath Mukherjee in 1864. In 1885, in the autumn of his life, he opened another bookstore, Kolkata Pustakalay, in 24, Sukia Street. Serampore Press was also printing books in 34 languages, and the Battala Publishers were publishing low priced books and photographs for the common man. Overall, the printing press industry played a significant role in the commercial and educational development of Bengal in the later half of the 19th century.
