Dachepalli Publishers
- Dachepalli Publishers is coming out with an initial public offering (IPO) of 39,60,000 shares in a price band of Rs 100-102 per equity share.
- The issue will open on December 22, 2025 and will close on December 24, 2025.
- The shares will be listed on SME Platform of BSE.
- The face value of the share is Rs 10 and is priced 10.00 of its face value on the lower side and 10.20 times on the higher side.
- Book running lead manager to the issue is Synfinx Capital.
- Compliance Officer for the issue is Anand Joshi.
Profile of the company
Dachepalli Publishers is an established content-based educational publishing house dedicated to serving the K-12 segment across CBSE, ICSE, and State Board curriculums. It provides high-quality textbooks along with partnering with various schools ranging from the capacity of 100 to 50,000 students as a comprehensive academic support system. The company’s integrated content and support services are designed to empower educators, streamline academic delivery, and enhance student learning outcomes across all grade levels.
Founded in 1998 by Vinod Kumar Dachepalli and Rushikesh Dachepally as a private limited entity, Dachepalli Publishers Limited traces its roots back to a modest bookstall established by their forefather in the early 1900s. Initially focused on retailing textbooks and magazines, the business gradually evolved to meet the growing educational needs of the region, expanding into publishing Urdu textbooks, diaries, and eventually comprehensive academic content. With over a century of legacy in the book trade, the Dachepalli name has become deeply trusted and widely recognized across the states it operates in. This longstanding presence gives it a significant edge in building credibility and fostering long-term relationships with schools, educators, and retailers alike.
As of 2025, the company’s portfolio features over 600 titles distributed under six prominent brands: Dachepalli publishers Limited, Apple Book Company, Orange Leaf Publishers, Pelican Publishing House, Sangam Publishing House, and School Book Company. Alongside printed materials, it provides schools with curriculum-aligned digital resources at no additional cost. Upon purchasing its textbooks, schools gain access to a range of educational tools-including instructional videos, a test generator, and other academic software-installed directly within their premises. This approach not only helps schools become digitally empowered with tailored technology but also allows them to avoid the high costs of third-party software. Because its digital tools are designed exclusively to complement its textbooks, schools that enroll on its platform tend to maintain their partnership with it for 3 to 4 years, benefiting from a seamless and integrated academic ecosystem.
Proceed is being used for:
- Part financing the requirement of working capital
- Repayment of certain borrowing availed by the company, in part or full
- Meeting general corporate purposes
Industry Overview
Growth of the publishing market in India is driven by emerging technologies and adaptations to consumers’ changing behavior and this benefits Indian Media and content ecosystem greatly. The market covers various forms of newspapers, journals, books, magazines and eBooks. Dramatic changes have been brought to publishing practices by digital technologies, making publishing material more accessible and providing a lively variety of materials to audiences. With proliferation of literacy, increased regional language content choices, and focus on mobile and digital platform, the India’s publishing market has witnessed major development. It is obvious that there is still some growth, yet the sector is not altogether without problems, especially the financial strain of print production, and the need to enhance its online platform. Publishing industry is growing, catering to demand for education, entertainment and information across a broad cross section of people.
The India Publishing Market size is expected to grow at a significant CAGR of 5.8% during the forecast period 2025-2031.The rapid growth in internet connectivity and smartphone usage has played a major role in the growth of digital publications for the India Publishing Market. Since its adoption and expansion of e-learning sites, more readers were gained and the reach of the market was increased online. Increasing demand for books in their local languages has also helped in market development to reach the extensive community of regional audiences in India. Increased demand for published goods has been attributed to the government programs on literacy and education. New developments in digital practices and new ways of content production are hugely supporting the Indian publishing industry in developing a growth potential and modern outlook. All these factors contribute to India Publishing Market growth.
The India Publishing industry is poised for substantial growth in both traditional and digital segments. Increased innovation in digital storytelling and interactive publishing will redefine content consumption habits. Eco-friendly printing solutions and digital-first approaches will likely dominate future trends, aligning with global sustainability goals. Educational content will see exponential growth as digital and mobile platforms continue to penetrate underserved regions. However, the market must address content piracy, accessibility barriers, and regulatory compliance to maximize its potential. Publishers adopting cutting-edge technologies and creating scalable models will position themselves for success in this rapidly shifting industry landscape.
Pros and strengths
Consumer-Centric Educational Content: The company provides educational content for ICSE, CBSE, and State Board schools across India, supporting students throughout their academic journey. Its content is rooted in a consumer-centric philosophy, continuously evolving based on direct feedback from students, educators, and schools. The company works closely with various contractual experienced authors, ensuring that its textbooks and digital resources are both academically rigorous and classroom-relevant. The company’s author engagement begins with a structured and merit-driven selection process. Authors are encouraged to submit a comprehensive book proposal along with sample chapters that demonstrate their subject knowledge, pedagogical approach, and suitability for the target market.
Strong market position in the k-12 education segment: The company holds a strong and sustained position in the Indian K-12 education sector, with 100% of its revenue derived from the sale of educational content and curriculum-aligned titles across this segment. The company’s reach spans CBSE, ICSE, and various State Board-affiliated schools, with a particularly deep-rooted presence in South India. Its content portfolio, historically anchored in high-quality print publications, has progressively evolved to include digitally integrated learning solutions through WeStudy, its educational technology suite. Installed directly within school premises, WeStudy provides access to a wide range of digital tools such as video lessons, test generators, and interactive resources that are specifically aligned with its textbooks. This approach allows schools to adopt modern, cost-effective educational technology without relying on expensive third-party platforms.
Established network for content development and in-house printing: The company has developed a well-integrated and efficient ecosystem for both content creation and book production, supported by a trusted network of experienced authors, content writers, and subject matter experts. The company’s editorial team works closely with these professionals to ensure that every title is pedagogically sound, curriculum-aligned, and reflective of current educational trends across the K-12 segment. Once the content is finalized, its in-house design team enhances each title with a strong visual layout to ensure clarity, engagement, and ease of learning for students. What truly sets it apart is its comprehensive in-house printing infrastructure, which allows it to maintain complete control over quality, cost, and turnaround times.
Risks and concerns
Geographical concentration risk of manufacturing operations: The manufacturing operations of the company are carried in the state of Telangana. Due to the geographical concentration of its manufacturing operations in Telangana, its operations are susceptible to local, regional and environmental factors, such as social and civil unrest, regional conflicts, civil disturbances, economic and weather conditions, natural disasters, demographic and population changes, and other unforeseen events and circumstances. Such disruptions could result in the damage or destruction of a significant portion of its manufacturing abilities, significant delays in the transport of its products and raw materials, loss of key managerial personnel, and/or otherwise adversely affect its business, financial condition and results of operations.
Printing and binding outsourcing risk: In Fiscal 2025, the company handled over 85% of its printing and binding requirements in-house at its printing facilities located in Telangana. The company outsources the printing and binding of its remaining products which is currently handled by various vendors. From time to time, its outsourced printing requirements may increase in future due to any unanticipated disruptions in its operations and due to certain rush printing jobs required during peak season. The company’s gross margins may be adversely affected if its outsourcing requirements increase for these or other reasons. In addition, any disruption or delay in the printing and binding of its products by third parties for any reason could materially adversely affect its business, results of operation, cash flows and financial condition.
Academic cycle-driven seasonality in K-12 business: The sale of the company’s books under the K-12 business are linked to the academic cycle, and is, therefore, seasonal in nature. In the K-12 segment, majority of the sale starts with the beginning of the new academic year i.e. first and fourth quarter. In addition, the working capital cycle for publishing and printing tends to be unduly high at the fiscal year end on account of high sales in the specific quarter, which comes down significantly in the subsequent periods. The company’s sales seasonality in its K-12 segment materially affects its operating revenue, margins and cash flows from period to period. Accordingly, the company’s operating revenues and margins may be higher during one quarter of the year as compared to another quarter. As a result, its period-on-period data regarding its operating revenue, margins and cash flows may not be comparable for any future fiscal periods.
Outlook
Dachepalli Publishers is a company engaged in the publishing industry in India. The company primarily focuses on the publication of educational content, including textbooks, reference books, and other academic materials catering to various school and college-level curricula. The company has strong market position in the K-12 education segment. It has established network for content development and in-House printing. On the concern side, the company’s business operations are majorly concentrated in certain geographical regions and any adverse developments affecting its operations in these regions could have a significant impact on its revenue and results of operations. Moreover, the company relies on third parties for the printing and binding of a portion of its content and any increase in price by vendor for job work or any bad quality work can adversely affect its business and result of revenue, profit and operations.
The company is coming out with a maiden IPO of 39,60,000 equity shares of face value Rs 10 each. The issue has been offered in a price band of Rs 100-102 per equity share. The aggregate size of the offer is around Rs 39.60 crore to Rs 40.39 crore based on lower and upper price band respectively. On performance front, the company’s total revenue has increased by 25.64% to Rs 6389.92 lakh for fiscal 2025 from Rs 5086.07 lakh for fiscal 2024. Moreover, profit after tax has increased by 127.85% in the FY25 to Rs 756.24 lakh from Rs 331.90 lakh in the FY24.
As the education sector rapidly evolves, the company is committed to integrating advanced technology solutions that enhance teaching and learning experiences. Its strategy is to deliver comprehensive, end-to-end educational content through both print and digital media, ensuring that it caters to the changing preferences of schools, educators, and students. It is continuously adopting state-of-the-art educational technologies to improve the accessibility, interactivity, and adaptability of its content. These solutions support blended learning environments, making it easier for educators to deliver lessons and for students to engage with content both inside and outside the classroom. Its digital learning tools are designed to offer clear explanations, curriculum mapping, assessments, and personalized learning paths -- helping schools stay ahead in today’s tech-enabled education landscape. To complement this, the company also provides training and support to its partner schools and educators, ensuring they can effectively integrate and maximize the value of its digital offerings. Its strong distribution network and long-standing relationships with schools give it a unique advantage in promoting the adoption of these solutions at scale.
