With over three decades of experience in the computer-aided printing and publishing industry, Apurva Ashar brings together a unique mix of technical expertise, aesthetic sensibility, editing skills, and print-production knowledge. He combines creativity with technology to lead the team at Cygnet, driving impactful brand initiatives.
A software engineer by training and a publisher by inheritance, Apurva’s core strength lies in using technology to publish and archive books, especially in Indian languages. He has revolutionized the regional language digital publishing landscape in India, having designed and produced over 1,000 books, including works by stalwarts of Gujarati literature. He has a long-standing association with the Navajivan Trust, where he continues to digitally transform Gujarati publishing.
Apurva has developed tools and processes for standardizing Indian language digital publishing. These include tagged archives of books ideal for Digital Humanity and Language Dataset studies, along with concordance, indices, and wordlists specific to sets of books. His contributions also span the development of fonts, spellcheckers, and data conversion processes tailored for Indian languages. Navajivan Trust has adopted 100% born-accessible publishing under his guidance, ensuring accessible books in Indian languages.
Additionally, Apurva has worked closely with industry leaders and served as an expert on several prestigious committees, including the Gujarat State School Textbook Board and the production committee of Gujarat Sahitya Parishad.