Simon & Schuster announced that it will begin publishing local titles in India starting in 2017. To head the new line, the publisher has appointed Dharini Bhaskar as editorial director. Bhaskar had been at Rupa Publications where she was acquisitions editor.

S&S first established S&S India in 2011 to market titles from its other divisions into the country. With the appointment of Bhaskar, the company will now offer both fiction and nonfiction English-language works from local authors. Ian Chapman, chief executive and publisher for S&S UK and International, said the expansion of the Indian operation reflects the steady growth of the division plus the fact that its other international units have done well publishing local authors. “This is an exciting strategic move that will build on [S&S India’s] success: our international territories are performing strongly with their local publishing and we are confident that Simon & Schuster India will continue that trend,” Chapman said.

Bhaskar will report to report to Rahul Srivastava, managing director of S&S India.