- Category
- Medium (2024-25)
- Udyam number
- UDYAM-MH-19-0010864

About Crossword Bookstores Private Limited
Data last updated:
Crossword Bookstores Private Limited is a private limited company based in Pune, Maharashtra, India, a subsidiary of Shoppers Stop Limited. It operates in the general e-commerce platforms segment of the e-commerce sector. It was incorporated on 03 November 1999 and has been in existence for over 27 years.
The company is registered with the Registrar of Companies (ROC), Pune, under CIN U52396PN1999PTC213916. Its GSTIN is 07AABCP7596G1Z1 (Delhi). The company holds 25 GST registrations, of which 21 are active.
The company has an authorised share capital of ₹40.5 Cr and a paid-up capital of ₹40.06 Cr. It was formerly known as Profound Reader'S Choice Trading (India) Limited and Profound Reader'S Choice Trading (India)Private Limited. It is led by directors including Aakash Dinesh Gupta (Managing Director) and Dinesh Madanlal Gupta (Whole-Time Director).
Its last annual general meeting (AGM) was held on 30 September 2025, and its latest financial statements are for the year ended 31 March 2025. The registered office is at Office No.603 To 608 6th Floor Sohrab Hall Opp Jahangir Nursing Home Behind Pune Railw, Ay Station, Maharashtra, India – 411001.
As per the financials filed for FY 2025, the company reported a revenue of ₹249.4 Cr, a growth of 29% compared to the previous year. For the same year it recorded a net profit of ₹3.88 Cr (net margin 1.6%) and EBITDA of ₹57.8 Cr (EBITDA margin 23.2%). Revenue has grown at a compounded annual rate (CAGR) of 115% over three years and 25% over five years.
The company has about 810 employees on its provident fund (EPFO) records.
The company is associated with 1 brand: Crossword. As per MCA filings, the company has open charges of ₹71.2 Cr and satisfied charges of ₹37.79 Cr on record. Court records list 2 cases involving the company, including 2 filed against it; 1 case is pending. The company has 5 deals on record (3 secondary share transfers, 1 funding round, 1 acquisition), with disclosed funding of ₹10 Cr; the latest was in November 2024.
Crossword Bookstores Private Limited is registered as a medium enterprise under the Udyam registration framework (Reg. No. UDYAM-MH-19-0010864). The current compliance status is marked as compliant by the Registrar of Companies. For more details, the company can be reached via its website crossword.in.
Company details
Name history
Crossword Bookstores has undergone 2 name changes throughout its history. The company was previously known as Profound Reader's Choice Trading (India) Limited, and Profound Reader's Choice Trading (India)Private Limited. The current legal name is Crossword Bookstores Private Limited.
| Company Name | Status |
|---|---|
| Crossword Bookstores Private Limited | Current |
| Profound Reader's Choice Trading (India) Limited | Previous |
| Profound Reader's Choice Trading (India)Private Limited | Previous |
CIN history
Crossword Bookstores has 2 previous CINs, indicating changes in the company's corporate structure or registration details. The current CIN is U52396PN1999PTC213916, which is the unique identifier assigned by the Registrar of Companies.
| CIN | Status |
|---|---|
| U52396PN1999PTC213916 | Current |
| U52396MH1999PTC122528 | Previous |
| U52396MH1999PLC122528 | Previous |
Recognitions & Rankings of Crossword Bookstores
Contact details
Crossword Bookstores Private Limited's registered office is in Pune, Maharashtra. Its website is crossword.in. Its e-mail address and telephone number are in the company report.
- Email
- Telephone
- Website
- Social Media
- Registered AddressOffice No.603 To 608 6th Floor Sohrab Hall Opp Jahangir Nursing Home Behind Pune Railw, Ay Station, Maharashtra, India – 411001
- IndustryE-Commerce, General E-Commerce Platforms
To see the full contact details of Crossword Bookstores Private Limited, buy the company report.
- Company details, directors and signatories
- Historical financials and ratios
- Shareholding pattern and group structure
- Charges with holder and property details
- Legal cases, compliance and MCA filings
Brands
Crossword Bookstores operates one associated brand: Crossword. Each brand links to its own profile.
| Brand | Description | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Books, gifts, toys, stationery, and accessories are retailed by Crossword. | crossword.in |
Business activity
The main business activity of Crossword Bookstores is trade. In detail, this covers retail trading.
| Main activity group code | Main activity | Business activity code | Business activity | Share of turnover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | Trade | G2 | Retail Trading |
To see the full business activity and turnover split of Crossword Bookstores Private Limited, buy the company report.
Financials of Crossword Bookstores Private Limited
FY 2025 filings availableCrossword Bookstores Private Limited reported revenue of ₹249.4 Cr (up 29% YoY) for FY 2025.
Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
Revenue has grown at a compounded annual rate (CAGR) of 25% over five years, including 29% growth in the latest year. EBITDA rose 10% in the latest year. Three- and five-year figures are compounded annual growth rates (CAGR): the steady yearly rate that links the first and the last year. All are worked out from the filed statements.
Financial Statement Summary
| Metrics | FY 2024-25 | FY 2023-24 | FY 2022-23 | FY 2021-22 | FY 2020-21 |
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| EBITDA | ₹57.8 Cr | ||||
| Profit Before Tax | |||||
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| Net Profit (PAT) | ₹3.88 Cr | ||||
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Financial Ratios
| Metrics | FY 2024-25 | FY 2023-24 | FY 2022-23 | FY 2021-22 | FY 2020-21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Profitability | |||||
| EBITDA Margin | 23.2% | ||||
| Net Profit Margin | 1.6% | ||||
| Return on Equity (ROE) | |||||
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To see the full financial statements and ratios of Crossword Bookstores Private Limited, buy the company report.
Board of directors of Crossword Bookstores Private Limited
Crossword Bookstores has 3 current directors and 26 former directors. Current directors are listed first, with their designation and appointment date.
| Name | Designation | Appointment Date | Tenure | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dinesh Madanlal Gupta | Whole-Time Director | 31 Aug 2021 | 5 Years 2 Months | Current |
| Aakash Dinesh Gupta | Managing Director | 11 Oct 2021 | 5 Years 1 Months | Current |
| Nidhi Aakash Gupta | Whole-Time Director | 11 Oct 2021 | 5 Years 1 Months | Current |
Auditor
Crossword Bookstores Private Limited is audited by Gosavi Yardi & Co for the financial year 2024.
| Auditor firm | Financial year | Firm registration number |
|---|---|---|
| Gosavi Yardi & Co | FY 2024 | 103340W |
Shareholding
The shareholding of Crossword Bookstores Private Limited is on record for 5 financial years, the latest being FY 2024, split between promoters, domestic institutions, foreign institutions, public shareholders and others.
| Shareholder category | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Promoters | |||||
| Domestic institutional investors (DII) | |||||
| Foreign institutional investors (FII) | |||||
| Public | |||||
| Others |
To see the full shareholding pattern of Crossword Bookstores Private Limited, buy the company report.
Charges & borrowings
| Date | Charge ID | Lender | Amount | Status | Modified or satisfied on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Oct 2022 | 100646017 | Hdfc Bank Limited | ₹71.2 Cr | Open | |
| 14 Aug 2020 | 100365808 | Others | ₹2.29 Cr | Satisfied | |
| 20 May 2015 | 10574541 | Others | ₹18.4 Cr | Satisfied | |
| 03 Jun 2011 | 10293110 | Idbi Bank Limited | ₹9.5 Cr | Satisfied | |
| 15 Feb 2005 | 80022233 | Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited | ₹5 Cr | Satisfied |
To see the full charge records of Crossword Bookstores Private Limited, buy the company report.
Total charge records: 7 View all charges
Deals & funding
Crossword Bookstores Private Limited has 5 deals on record (3 secondary share transfers, 1 funding round, 1 acquisition), with disclosed funding of ₹10 Cr; the latest was in November 2024.
Deals on record (5 of 5)
| When | Deal | Amount | Parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2024 | Secondary share transfer | Undisclosed | Buyer: 4 individuals Seller: Shoppers Stop Limited |
| Apr 2022 | Secondary share transfer | Undisclosed | Buyer: 4 individuals Seller: Shoppers Stop Limited |
| Oct 2021 | Secondary share transfer | Undisclosed | Buyer: 4 individuals Seller: Shoppers Stop Limited |
| Sep 2021 | Acquisition | ₹26.5 Cr | Buyer: Shoppers Stop Limited |
| Jun 2006 | Funding round | ₹10 Cr | Investors: Shoppers Stop Limited |
Deal records are compiled from filings and public sources; amounts are shown only where the source reported them.
Legal cases
Crossword Bookstores Private Limited has 2 court cases on record: 2 filed against it. 1 case is pending and 1 is disposed.
Cases by court
| Court | Cases | Against the company | Pending |
|---|---|---|---|
| District courts | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| High courts | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Cases on record (2 of 2)
| Court | Type of case | Party | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| District court, Thane, Maharashtra | Civil suit | Filed against the company by an individual | Pending |
| Bombay High Court | Tax appeal | Filed against the company by PR. Commissioner of Income Tax Central-2 | Disposed |
To see the full case history of Crossword Bookstores Private Limited, buy the company report.
Case records are compiled from court listings and may lag the court's own records. A case filed against a company is not a finding against it.
MSME payment delays
No delayed payments to MSME suppliers are on our record for Crossword Bookstores Private Limited; the supplier-wise MSME Form 1 check is in the company report Buy the company report.
Employees & EPFO
Crossword Bookstores Private Limited has a workforce of 810 employees on its EPFO records as of May 2026, across 1 active EPFO establishment.
Headcount by financial year
| Financial year | Employees (EPFO) |
|---|---|
| FY 2026-27 | 810 |
| FY 2025-26 | |
| FY 2024-25 | |
| FY 2023-24 | |
| FY 2022-23 | |
| FY 2021-22 | |
| FY 2020-21 | |
| FY 2019-20 | |
| FY 2018-19 | |
| FY 2017-18 | |
| FY 2016-17 |
To see the full employee and EPFO history of Crossword Bookstores Private Limited, buy the company report.
GST
Crossword Bookstores has 25 GST registrations: 21 active and 4 cancelled or inactive. The first 4 active GSTINs are listed below.
| GSTIN | State | Status | Registered on |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07AABCP7596G1Z1 | Delhi | Active | 01 Jul 2017 |
| 09AABCP7596G1ZX | Uttar Pradesh | Active | 01 Jul 2017 |
| 19AABCP7596G1ZW | West Bengal | Active | 01 Jul 2017 |
| 23AABCP7596G1Z7 | Madhya Pradesh | Active | 01 Jul 2017 |
To see the full GST registrations and return filing status of Crossword Bookstores Private Limited, buy the company report.
Recent activity
Crossword Bookstores Private Limited has 45 board changes on record since 1999: 24 appointments and 21 cessations. The latest: Karunakaran Mohanasundaram ceased to be Director on 25 Jun 2023.
52 earlier events are in the company report.
Frequently asked questions
Crossword Bookstores is an active private limited company based in Pune, Maharashtra, India. The company works in general e-commerce platforms, within the e-commerce industry. It was incorporated on 03 November 1999 (27+ years old) and is registered under CIN U52396PN1999PTC213916.
Crossword Bookstores has 3 current directors:
- Aakash Dinesh Gupta - Managing Director
- Dinesh Madanlal Gupta - Whole-Time Director
- Nidhi Aakash Gupta - Whole-Time Director
The latest financial statements of Crossword Bookstores on record with the MCA are for the year ended 31 March 2025. Its last annual general meeting was held on 30 September 2025. Year-wise statements from 2015 are in the company report.
The GSTIN of Crossword Bookstores is 07AABCP7596G1Z1, registered in Delhi. The company has 25 GST registrations in all, of which 21 are active and 4 are cancelled or inactive. Other active GSTINs include 09AABCP7596G1ZX (Uttar Pradesh), 19AABCP7596G1ZW (West Bengal), 23AABCP7596G1Z7 (Madhya Pradesh).
The CIN (Corporate Identification Number) of Crossword Bookstores is U52396PN1999PTC213916. It is issued by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs under the Companies Act, 2013, and uniquely identifies the company in India.
Crossword Bookstores has 2 court cases on record: 2 filed against it. 1 is pending. Most are in the district courts.
Crossword Bookstores was incorporated on 03 November 1999, making it 27+ years old. It is registered with the Registrar of Companies, Pune.
Crossword Bookstores has 5 deals on record (3 secondary share transfers, 1 funding round, 1 acquisition), with disclosed funding of ₹10 Cr; the latest was in November 2024.
Karunakaran Mohanasundaram ceased to be Director on 25 Jun 2023. Chiragh Oberoi ceased to be Ceo(Kmp) on 30 Nov 2021. Aakash Dinesh Gupta was appointed as Managing Director on 11 Oct 2021. Crossword Bookstores has 45 board changes on record in total.
Yes, Crossword Bookstores is registered as a medium enterprise under Udyam registration (number: UDYAM-MH-19-0010864).

