Draft:Asoke K. Ghosh

Asoke K. Ghosh

Asoke K. Ghosh (October 31, 1942 – February 1, 2024) was an Indian publisher and the Founder of PHI Learning Private Limited, an academic publishing house in India. He was a founding member and President Emeritus of the Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP) and was its President twice.

He dedicated his life to the Indian publishing industry with a vision of producing high-quality academic books at affordable prices for Indian students and academia. Ghosh published international books under the "Eastern Economy Editions" imprint, making expensive textbooks accessible to Indian academia at reasonable prices to support education.

Personal Life

Early Life

Asoke K. Ghosh was born and raised in Kolkata, West Bengal. He graduated from the University of Calcutta and pursued further education in Printing Technology and Graphic Arts at Jadavpur University. Additionally, he obtained a management degree from the Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi.

He began his career in a printing press and later transitioned to newspaper publishing with the Times of India Group before moving into academic book publishing.

Family and Relationships

Asoke K. Ghosh married Sagarika Ghosh in March 1972. He had two children. His family continues to be associated with PHI Learning. Ghosh supported girl child education and contributed to philanthropic activities through the Rimjhim Ghosh Foundation, which focuses on education and healthcare for underprivileged girls.

Philanthropic Efforts

Service in Rotary

Ghosh became a member of Rotary International in 1973 and served as District Governor from 2000–2001. He was honored with several prestigious Rotary awards, including the Citation for Meritorious Service, the Service Above Self Award (2007), and the Distinguished Service Award (2009). Ghosh contributed significantly to Rotary’s PolioPlus initiative through advocacy and financial support and was acknowledged as a Major Donor Level IV. An endowment fund in his and his wife’s name was also established.

Rimjhim Ghosh Foundation

The Rimjhim Ghosh Foundation, named after his daughter, focuses on providing educational and healthcare support to underprivileged girls.

Contributions to Academic Publishing

PHI Learning and Indian Academia

PHI Learning, founded in the early 1960s, published affordable editions of foreign textbooks under the Eastern Economy Editions imprint. The company has released over 5,000 titles and partnered with publishers such as Microsoft Press and MIT Press. It published India’s first computer science textbook, Principles of Computer Programming by V. Rajaraman, among other academic resources.

Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP)

Ghosh was a founding member of the Federation of Indian Publishers and held the position of President Emeritus. He contributed to projects such as 75 Years of Book Publishing in India (1947–2022) and participated in efforts to represent Indian publishing internationally.

Awards and Recognition

Ghosh’s contributions to publishing earned him several awards:

The IPA Champion Award, presented at the 33rd IPA Congress in Jakarta, Indonesia (2022).
Leaders in the Education Sector Award by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (2022).
Simon Master Chairman’s Award at the London Book Fair (2018).
Lifetime Achievement Award by the Federation of Indian Publishers (2012).
Most Distinguished Publisher Award by the Federation of Indian Publishers.

Rotary Awards

Rotary presented him with numerous awards for his selfless, dedicated services to society. The most prominent awards include:

Distinguished Service Award (2009) – the highest award of Rotary International.
Service Above Self Award (2007) by Rotary International.
Citation for Meritorious Service by Rotary International.