Penguin Random House India recently announced the launch of Penguin Eight, a new publishing imprint dedicated to books that explore the cultural and literary richness of Northeast India. The imprint is a significant step in Penguin’s continued mission to publish diverse, representative, and meaningful stories from across the country.
With a sharp editorial focus, Penguin Eight will publish works by both emerging and established writers—regardless of where they are from—whose narratives reflect the complexities, histories, and voices of the Northeast. The goal is to create a lasting platform for high-quality writing that engages deeply with the region’s unique realities and lived experiences. The name Penguin Eight draws inspiration from the eight states that comprise Northeast India. The imprint will release close to half a dozen titles annually to begin with, spanning fiction, non-fiction, memoir, poetry, history, politics, folklore, and more.
As part of the launch, Penguin Random House India also unveiled the new logo for Penguin Eight, designed in-house by Aakriti Khurana. Inspired by the natural landscape of the Northeast, the logo features two stylized fiddlehead fern fronds—an organic and locally resonant motif found in the region. The design symbolizes growth, rootedness, and new beginnings—perfectly echoing the imprint’s ambition to amplify voices from a culturally vibrant and deeply storied part of the country.
Deepthi Talwar, executive editor, Penguin Random House India, says, “With Penguin Eight, we’re taking a deliberate step toward editorial inclusivity—ensuring that literature about the Northeast has a visible, committed platform within mainstream publishing. As programming director of Penguin’s The White Owl Literary Festival in Dimapur, I’ve had the opportunity to listen to readers, authors, and thinkers from the region. This imprint is an outcome of those conversations, and of our belief that thoughtful commissioning and long-term engagement can play a transformational role in publishing. Our submissions are open, and we’re looking to build a list that is both accessible and enduring.”
Milee Ashwarya, publisher & SVP – adult publishing division, Penguin Random House India, says, “Penguin Eight is an important milestone in Indian publishing—it is the first imprint by a major publishing house solely dedicated to the literature of a specific region. At Penguin, we are deeply committed to inclusive and representative publishing, and this imprint reflects that ethos in action. Over the years, we’ve steadily built a relationship with readers and writers from the Northeast—starting with key titles, then launching a dedicated literature festival, and now creating a lasting publishing home. Penguin Eight is a long-term investment in regional storytelling, one that will make these narratives more visible, celebrated, and accessible to readers across India and the world.”
