Penguin India introduces beautifully designed, pocket-sized format books priced at just ₹125
New Delhi, 6th October 2026: Penguin Random House India today announced the launch of Penguin Pockets, an exciting new series of compact sized books created to bring timeless literature to a wider and new generation of readers across India. Priced at just ₹125, each book is sized to literally fit into a pocket, making it easy to carry everywhere and reach for at any time.
India has one of the youngest populations in the world, and for many young readers, price still decides whether a book gets bought. Penguin Pockets was conceptualized with that in mind. It’s a compact, affordable format that brings timeless literature within easy reach, without compromising design, quality, or reading experience. The books are easy to carry, easy to gift, and easy to discover, made for life on the move.
The series launches with sixteen titles that span languages, geographies and centuries. Readers can pick up Hindi classics such as Usne Kaha Tha by Pandit Chandradhar Sharma Guleri, Panch Parmeshwar aur Anye Kahaniyan by Premchand, Niti Shatak by Bhartrihari, Pita Ke Patr by Jawaharlal Nehru and Hind Swaraj by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi alongside global favorites including The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran, Animal Farm by George Orwell, The Art of War by Sun Tzu, Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore, The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Stenvenson, The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy and Letters from a Father by J. L. Nehru. Each book has been chosen for its ability to hold up to a first-time reader and a lifelong one in equal measure.
Designed as much for collecting and gifting as for everyday reading, Penguin Pockets brings a distinctive new format to some of literature’s most enduring works. The compact format lends itself naturally to collecting, with covers designed to sit well together on a shelf, and the price point makes it possible to gift a book on a whim.
Speaking on Penguin Pockets, Manoj Satti, Senior Vice President, Sales, Product and Marketing, Penguin Random House India said, ‘Publishing must keep adapting to how people discover, buy and experience books. With Penguin Pockets, we wanted to create new entry points into reading by removing every barrier between a reader and a great book: the cost, the size, even the intimidation of picking up a book for the first time. India gives us enormous reason for optimism, and Penguin’s long relationship with generations of readers gives us the confidence to invest not only in people who read today, but also in those who can become readers tomorrow. Our ambition is to keep finding new ways to bring more people to books. These are books you can slip into your pocket, share with a friend, or start collecting one at a time. Our hope is that Penguin Pockets becomes the first step into a lifelong reading habit for millions of young Indians.’
Penguin Pockets will be in stores and online across India by the end of October 2026.
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About Penguin Random House India
Penguin Random House India is the country’s leading trade publisher, publishing over 450 new titles every year and managing a diverse backlist of more than 3,500 books. Our publishing spans literary and commercial fiction, non-fiction, and children’s books — from politics, history, memoir, and business to health, self-help, cookery, and culture.
We are home to some of India’s and the world’s most celebrated voices — including winners of the Nobel Prize, Booker Prize, Jnanpith Award, and Sahitya Akademi Award. Several of our authors have also been honoured with the Bharat Ratna and Padma Vibhushan, reflecting the influence of their work in literature and public life.
Penguin Random House India also serves as the exclusive distribution partner for several major international and local publishers, bringing books to readers across India and the subcontinent.
MEDIA CONTACT-
Saavie | saavie@penguinrandomhouse.in | +91 85277 93252