ASIA/INDIA - Sixty years ago it opened as a book shop, today ATC is an important publishing house which promotes Christian literature in India

Bangalore (Agenzia Fides) - From book shop specialised in selling prayer books, missals and Christian literature for seminaries and institutes of formation sixty years ago, the ATC (Asian Trading Corporation) today is an important publishing house. Opened in Bombay (today Mumbai) in 1946 it moved to Bangalore in 1967, and today promotes Christian literature in India. Its collection consists of books on Theology, Liturgy, Scripture, Catechesis, and Religious life, Spirituality, Philosophy, Communication, Prayer, Sociology, Counselling and
Indology. It is a good referent for new Indian authors. It has published over 700 volumes many of which have been reprinted. ATC is a pioneer in reprinting the works of foreign authors and books. and it intends to present the richness of Christian literature to the Indian readers. There is a great request for books on lay spirituality says Fernandez, partner of the Corporation. Youth too are interested in the deeper understanding of spirituality. They ask for compendium, comparative Bibles, and concordance. The Bible has a perennial interest and demand. ATC was invited to take part at the First Asian Mission Congress held in Thailand in October 2006, the only publishing house among 1000 guests from all over Asia. Many were surprised, Fernandez said, at the number of publications and the variety of books from India. It was a compliment to promote Indian books at the Asian level. (K.P.) (Agenzia Fides 2/7/2007; righe 18, parole 254)