ET 40 Under 40 Awards: Himanshu Gupta, S Chand boss, is not a bookworm

Messrs Wren and Martin still hold sway over school-going children - thanks, in part, to S Chand, the storied Delhi-based publisher. Many generations have burned the midnight oil, poring over textbooks from the Chand stable. Himanshu Gupta is no exception. The third-generation entrepreneur and Joint Managing Director of S Chand said on the sidelines of ET 40 under 40 that his childhood memories are inextricably linked with time spent reading books published by the company founded by his grandfather in a Chandni Chowk bylane.

However, under the leadership of Gupta, S Chand has pivoted to digital – offering a mix of both online and offline education solutions that includes interactive games and quizzes. Textbooks still contribute the lion’s share to the company’s revenue, but the foray into digital has given a new lease of life to many time-tested books, including that penned by the mandarins of the English language. As a successful entrepreneur, Gupta remains a life-long learner, but admits that he has fallen behind on his reading. “I read business newspapers and magazines, but when it comes to books, I don’t read as much as I should. I am more of a Netflix fan now. Actually, Hindi mein jo kehta hai na, halwai apna halwa nahi khata,” he said.