(London, UK (PRWEB) 15 April 2013) Vital Source Technologies, Inc., Ingram Content Group’s leading eTextbook solution, and B.i. Publications Pvt. Ltd., India’s largest distributor of scientific, technical and medical content to the academic and professional communities, have agreed to form a joint venture, Ingram-B.i. Pvt. Ltd., to launch Ingram’s comprehensive VitalSource Bookshelf® eTextbook platform to institutions in India.
“India, by far, is the most exciting growth market for English language textbooks in the world today,” said Shashank Bhagat, Chairman of the Bi Group. “The market in India is ripe for media-rich interactive learning experiences. With Ingram’s VitalSource Bookshelf platform, and the local market reach of the Bi Group, students at India’s top universities, colleges, and corporate training programs will have access to the newest and most relevant digital content and learning tools that are available today.”
Ingram and the Bi Group have plans to make the VitalSource Bookshelf platform available to institutions throughout India. The new company will provide VitalSource Bookshelf sales, service, and user support for publishers, schools, and channel resellers in India.
The VitalSource Bookshelf platform, designed for education, is the preferred and most used eTextbook delivery platform in higher education today. With longstanding relationships with more than 300 of the best-known publishers, and with over 3 million registered users on 6,000 campuses worldwide, the platform was designed to support learning and built to scale for dramatic growth.
“Integrating technology into academic curricula is quickly becoming the new standard in education,” said John R. Ingram, Chairman and CEO of Ingram Content Group. “Ingram-Bi is ready to help educators in India seamlessly incorporate more digital components and learning tools into their programs of study to enhance learning opportunities for all students.”
The higher education marketplace in India is expanding rapidly, with industry sources projecting that its current capacity of 14 million students is expected to expand to 40 million by 2020. Similarly, the marketplace has seen a dramatic growth in internet use, with 5 to 7 million new users added every month, making India third in internet users after China and the United States.
The Bi Group, based in New Delhi, India is a multi business corporation with principal interests in publishing & distribution, real estate & hospitality, and in education & training. Its Publishing Services company, Bi Publications Pvt. Ltd. is a leading distributor of scientific, technical and medical literature to channels that service the academic and professional communities in India.
Ingram Content Group Inc. is a subsidiary of Nashville-based Ingram Industries Inc. The company provides books, music and media content to over 39,000 retailers, libraries, schools and distribution partners in 195 countries. For more information, visit http://www.ingramcontent.com
