Children's Book Trust
Children's Book Trust is an Indian literary trust founded in 1957 that publishes over 1,000 children's book titles, operates the Children's World magazine (since 1968), a children's library, a dolls museum, and an art academy, serving Indian schoolchildren and international participants in its competitions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1957
- HeadquartersNew Delhi, India
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Children's Book Trust does
Children's Book Trust (CBT) is a privately-held Indian literary trust established in 1957 by renowned cartoonist K. Shankar Pillai, headquartered at Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi. The organization is a pioneer children's book publisher in India with a catalog of over 1,000 titles across genres including picture books, short stories, ancient tales, fiction, and information books in English, Hindi, and various Indian languages. Books are priced at subsidized rates to reach average Indian children.
CBT operates an integrated portfolio of children's education and cultural activities under its own roof at Nehru House: the Children's World illustrated monthly magazine (in its 59th year since 1968), the Dr. B.C. Roy Memorial Children's Reading Room and Library (40,000+ books, opened 1967), Shankar's International Dolls Museum (7,000+ costume dolls from 85 countries, occupying 5,184.5 sq. ft.), Shankar's Academy of Art and Book Publishing (diploma courses since 1991), and Indraprastha Press (in-house printing press since 1965). The Trust also runs Shankar's International Children's Competition (SICC, ~160,000 entries from 160+ countries), the On-the-Spot Painting Competition, and the Competition for Writers of Children's Books.
The business model is diversified across six revenue streams: one-time book sales (subsidized retail through three owned book shops in New Delhi, Chennai, and Kolkata), recurring magazine subscriptions (₹550/year domestic, US$80/year international), tiered library memberships (₹700–₹2,550), magazine advertising (placement- and frequency-based tariffs), academy course fees (diploma and short-term courses), and dolls museum entry fees (₹10–25 per visitor, ₹5 group rate). Distribution spans physical retail, post/courier, and international airmail. The organization operates without external investors or PE/VC funding as a self-sustaining trust.
Children's Book Trust firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Children's Book Trust
- Legal name
- Children's Book Trust
- Website
- https://www.childrensbooktrust.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1957
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Children's Book Trust is an Indian literary trust founded in 1957 that publishes over 1,000 children's book titles, operates the Children's World magazine (since 1968), a children's library, a dolls museum, and an art academy, serving Indian schoolchildren and international participants in its competitions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Children's Book Trust industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Children's Book Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (51313), Libraries and Archives (51921), Fine Arts Schools (61161)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Book Printing (2732), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Early Readers & Chapter Books Publishing (MPAJAFAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Children’s Nonfiction Publishing (MPAJAFAE), Children’s Subscription & Book Club Publishing (MPAJAFAO)
Keywords
Where Children's Book Trust is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New Delhi
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices4 records
Markets served
Children's Book Trust business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Book Sales: Sale of children's books in English and Hindi across multiple categories including Picture Books, Short Stories, Ancient Tales, Fiction, Information, and New Arrivals. Books are priced at subsidized rates to reach average Indian children.
- Children's World Magazine: Monthly illustrated magazine for children published since 1968, now in its 59th year. Subscription-based revenue with 1-year (12 issues) and 2-year (24 issues) options. Includes advertising revenue from advertisement tariff page.
- Library Membership: Dr. B.C. Roy Memorial Children's Reading Room and Library offers three-tier membership (Ordinary, Special, Double Special) with annual fees and security deposits, providing books to school-going children.
- Magazine Advertising: The Children's World magazine accepts advertisements with tiered pricing based on placement (back cover, inside cover, full page, double spread) and insertion frequency (casual, 6 insertions, 12 insertions).
- Academy Course Fees: Shankar's Academy of Art and Book Publishing offers diploma courses in Art, Book Illustration and Graphics, and short-term add-on courses in web designing.
- Dolls Museum Entry Fees: Entry fees for Shankar's International Dolls Museum: ₹25 for adults, ₹10 for children, with concessional rates of ₹5 per child for groups of 20+.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Single Copy - ₹50 per issue |
| Subscription | Annual | 1 Year Subscription - ₹550 (12 issues) |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | 2 Year Subscription - ₹1000 (24 issues) |
| Subscription | Annual | International - US$ 80 per year |
| Subscription | Annual | Ordinary Membership - ₹700 total |
| Subscription | Annual | Special Membership - ₹1350 total |
| Subscription | Annual | Double Special Membership - ₹2550 total |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dolls Museum Adult Entry - ₹25 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dolls Museum Child Entry - ₹10 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dolls Museum Group Rate - ₹5 per child |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Children's Book Trust product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Children's Book Trust publishes and sells children's books across multiple genres (picture books, short stories, ancient tales, fiction, information) in English, Hindi, and other Indian languages, alongside the Children's World monthly magazine. It also operates Shankar's International Dolls Museum, a children's library, an art and book illustration academy, and runs international children's competitions including SICC.
Product overview
Children's Book Trust (CBT) is a pioneering publisher of children's books in India, founded by cartoonist K. Shankar Pillai in 1957. The organization operates as a multi-faceted children's education and entertainment entity with a portfolio of interconnected products and services. The core offerings include children's books (over 1000 titles in English and Hindi across genres like picture books, fiction, ancient tales, and information books) and Children's World Magazine (a monthly illustrated magazine since 1968). CBT also runs several competitive programs including Shankar's International Children's Competition (SICC), the On-the-Spot Painting Competition, and the Writers' Competition for Children's Books. Beyond publishing, CBT operates the Dr. B.C. Roy Memorial Children's Library (40,000+ books), Shankar's International Dolls Museum (7,000+ dolls from 85 countries), and the Dolls Workshop for handcrafted Indian dolls. The Academy of Art and Book Illustrations provides training in illustration and publishing. Indraprastha Press handles in-house printing. The Trust's mission focuses on producing well-written, well-illustrated books at affordable prices for children.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Children's World: An illustrated monthly magazine for children published since 1968
- Shankar's International Children's Competition (SICC)
- Shankar's On-the-Spot Painting Competition
- Competition for Writers of Children's Books
- Shankar's International Dolls Museum
- Shankar's Academy of Art and Book Publishing
- Dr. B.C. Roy Memorial Children's Reading Room and Library
- Indraprastha Press
Products and services
- Children's Books Children's books published across multiple genres including picture books, short stories, ancient tales, fiction, science fiction, information, Indian history/heritage, natural history, travelogue, popular science, short plays/dramas, and read-aloud books. The Trust has published over 1,000 titles in English, Hindi, and various Indian languages, priced at subsidized rates to reach average Indian children. Designed for school-going children aged 5-17 years, organized into three age groups (Group A up to 8 years, Group B 9-12 years, Group C 13-17 years).
- Children's World Magazine Illustrated monthly magazine for children published since 1968, currently in its 59th year. Encourages creative talent by publishing children's poems, stories, features, and drawings. Available via 1-year (12 issues at ₹550) and 2-year (24 issues at ₹1,000) subscriptions, with single copies at ₹50. International subscriptions available by airmail at US$80 per year. Includes the 'Your Pages' competition where winning entries are published in the November special issue.
- Shankar's International Children's Competition (SICC) Annual international competition for children below 16 years of age, inviting paintings, drawings, and written works from children worldwide. Organized into three age groups. The competition receives approximately 160,000 entries from over 160 countries annually, making it one of the largest children's art and writing competitions globally.
- Shankar's On-the-Spot Painting Competition Annual on-the-spot painting competition for children aged 5-16 years, organized into three age groups (Group A up to 8 years, Group B 9-12 years, Group C 13-17 years). Resumed in 2022 after a hiatus, with around 3,000 participants in the resumed edition.
- Dr. B.C. Roy Memorial Children's Reading Room and Library Children's library with a collection of over 40,000-45,000 books on varied subjects in English and Hindi. Offers three-tier membership: Ordinary (₹700 total), Special (₹1,350 total), and Double Special (₹2,550 total), with annual fees and refundable security deposits. Exclusively for school-going children up to school completion age.
- Shankar's International Dolls Museum Museum housing over 7,000 costume dolls from approximately 85 countries, considered one of the largest collections of costume dolls in the world. Won first prize (Golden Peacock Feather) at the Dolls Biennale in Cracow, Poland in 1980. Entry fees: ₹25 for adults, ₹10 for children, with concessional rate of ₹5 per child for groups of 20+.
- Shankar's Academy of Art and Book Publishing Training academy established in 1991 to train students in art, book illustration, and graphics. Conducts a Diploma Course in Art, Book Illustration and Graphics, and short-term add-on courses in web designing. Located in Nehru House, New Delhi.
- Competition for Writers of Children's Books Annual writing competition for children's book authors launched in 1978, held in both English and Hindi. Accepts entries in fiction, science fiction, short stories, plays, picture books, and concept books, aimed at diversifying subject matter in children's literature.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1000 published titles in multiple languages
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Children's Book Trust
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Children's Book Trust technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Children's Book Trust partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators8 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Children's Book Trust competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Scholastic India: Indian arm of Scholastic, the world's largest children's book publisher and operator of book fairs in schools. Directly comparable to CBT as a children's trade publisher with school-channel distribution, though it operates at significantly larger scale and with broader commercial pricing.
- Pratham Books: India-focused non-profit children's publisher aiming to make affordable books available to all Indian children, similar in mission and subsidized pricing model to CBT. Operates StoryWeaver open digital platform, contrasting CBT's primarily print focus.
- Karadi Tales: Mumbai-based independent children's publisher focused on picture books rooted in Indian culture and heritage. Closely comparable on genre (picture books, Indian stories), language approach, and cultural-heritage positioning, though smaller and without CBT's magazine/museum ecosystem.
- Tulika Books: Chennai-based independent children's publisher producing multilingual picture books and fiction in Indian languages. Comparable to CBT on language diversity and fiction/picture book genre, though Tulika operates with fewer titles and no magazine/library/museum assets.
- Amar Chitra Katha (ACK Media): Iconic Indian children's publisher of illustrated stories on Indian mythology, history, and culture. Direct competitor in culturally-rooted children's content; ACK has stronger comic/graphic format while CBT focuses more on prose/picture books, and ACK has more aggressive digital distribution.
- Duckbill Books (Penguin Random House India imprint): Indian children's imprint publishing middle-grade and YA fiction. Directly comparable genre (children's fiction, contemporary Indian stories), though backed by a large multinational parent and lacking CBT's cultural-heritage or magazine/museum assets.
Broad incumbents
- National Book Trust, India: Government of India body publishing books across genres including children's titles, often at subsidized rates. Comparable mission of affordable Indian-language publishing and government backing, but much broader scope than CBT's children-only focus.
- Penguin Random House India: Largest English-language trade publisher in India with a growing children's list. Comparable as a children's publisher serving Indian schools and families, but operates as a broad incumbent with adult publishing as core revenue, contrasting CBT's exclusive children's focus.
- Scholastic Corporation: Global leader in children's books, school book fairs, and education publishing. Comparable category leader globally, though operates at vastly larger scale with international mass-market distribution, contrasting CBT's India-rooted mission and ecosystem model.
Emerging players
- Campfire Graphic Novels: Indian publisher of graphic novels adapted from classics, mythology, and original stories for children and young adults. Comparable on Indian-heritage children's content aimed at school-aged readers, though format (graphic novel) differs from CBT's prose/picture books.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Children's Book Trust social profiles
Digital presenceChildren's Book Trust financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Children's Book Trust leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Children's Book Trust subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Children's Book Trust funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Children's Book Trust M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Children's Book Trust
What does Children's Book Trust do?
Children's Book Trust publishes and sells children's books across multiple genres (picture books, short stories, ancient tales, fiction, information) in English, Hindi, and other Indian languages, alongside the Children's World monthly magazine. It also operates Shankar's International Dolls Museum, a children's library, an art and book illustration academy, and runs international children's competitions including SICC.
Is Children's Book Trust a public or private company?
Children's Book Trust is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Children's Book Trust founded?
Children's Book Trust was founded in 1957. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Children's Book Trust based?
Children's Book Trust is headquartered in New Delhi, India, in the Asia region.
How does Children's Book Trust make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Book Sales are the primary driver. The others are children's World Magazine, library Membership, magazine Advertising, academy Course Fees and dolls Museum Entry Fees.
Who are Children's Book Trust's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Scholastic India, Pratham Books, Karadi Tales, Tulika Books, Amar Chitra Katha (ACK Media) and Duckbill Books (Penguin Random House India imprint). Broad incumbents are National Book Trust, India, Penguin Random House India and Scholastic Corporation. Campfire Graphic Novels is listed as an emerging player.
Does Children's Book Trust have an API?
No public API is recorded for Children's Book Trust.
What industry is Children's Book Trust in?
Children's Book Trust's product category is Children's Book Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAFAB, Early Readers & Chapter Books Publishing, with a secondary code of MPAJAFAE, Children’s Nonfiction Publishing. Its NAICS code is 51313 and its SIC code is 2731.