Mishmi-land Musings Second Edition Released
Second edition of Mishmi-land Musings released at Bamboosa Library in Tezu as youth are encouraged to read, write and document local life stories.
TEZU: Young people in Arunachal Pradesh’s Lohit region have been urged to document more local experiences and life stories to create future volumes of Mishmi-land Musings, an anthology originally written by young library readers.
Sokhep Kri, Chairman of CALSOM and Convenor of the Lohit Youth Library Network, made the appeal while releasing the second edition of the book at Bamboosa Library in Tezu.
“Mishmi-land Musings is a book of our own life stories. Contribute more such local stories to add many more volumes of Mishmi-land Musings,” Kri told the gathering.
He said the anthology had received appreciation from eminent writers including Y.D. Thongchi and Mamang Dai. The original contributors, he noted, were active library readers studying in Classes 6 to 8 when they wrote the stories included in the volume.
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Kri said their achievement demonstrated the wider value of sustained reading and regular engagement with libraries.
Referring to senior library volunteer Keselo Tayang, who was invited by the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie to speak to IAS officers on ways to promote rural libraries, Kri encouraged young people to visit Bamboosa Library regularly.
He said consistent use of libraries could help students improve their academic standards while developing self-confidence, communication abilities and public-speaking skills.
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AWIC Book Gifts Dedicated to Library Network
During the programme, Kri dedicated sets of books received from the Association of Writers and Illustrators for Children, New Delhi, to the Lohit Youth Library Network.
He thanked the organisation for supporting young readers in Lohit and said the library movement had benefited from the generosity of book lovers and well-wishers from different parts of the world.
Kri also acknowledged the contribution of founder-patron Prashant Lokhande and senior IAS officers Kaling Tayeng, Nila Mohanan and Mitali Namchoom for facilitating the safe delivery of the donated books from Delhi to Tezu.
The book donation adds to the resources available to young readers across the library network and reflects the continuing role of institutional and individual support in sustaining community-based reading initiatives in the region.
Kaman Mishmi Language Quiz Winners Honoured
Kri also presented prizes to winners of a rapid-fire quiz conducted in the Kaman Mishmi language.
Roshanso Tega secured the first prize, while Bomsaiso Bellai and Meena Mam jointly won the second prize. Sopliam Manyu was awarded the third prize.
Kri congratulated the Forum of Library Activists for organising a range of programmes aimed at promoting literary activities in the Kaman and Tawra Mishmi languages.
The initiatives form part of wider efforts to encourage reading, writing and creative expression in indigenous languages, particularly among younger generations.
Story of ‘Mishmi-land Musings’ Recalled
S. Mundayoor, Coordinator of the Lohit Youth Library Network, outlined how the first edition of Mishmi-land Musings was produced.
He thanked eminent writer and Padma Shri awardee Arup Kumar Dutta for editing the volume as a gesture of affection and encouragement for the youth of Arunachal Pradesh.
Mundayoor also paid tribute to renowned author and Padma Bhushan awardee late Prof. Manoj Das, who had sent a message of encouragement to the young writers associated with the anthology.
The involvement of nationally recognised literary figures helped bring wider attention to a collection rooted in the everyday experiences and observations of young readers from the Mishmi region.
Forum Thanks Supporters of Library Movement
Receiving the new edition from the chief guest, Keselo Tayang, Chairperson of the Forum of Library Activists, thanked Sokhep Kri for his long-standing guidance and support to the library movement.
She also expressed the Forum’s gratitude to the Department of Indigenous Affairs, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, for providing financial assistance to bring out the new edition.
Senior volunteer Bethem Marai outlined the Forum’s activities to promote literary work in the Kaman and Tawra Mishmi languages, while Banika Kri welcomed the gathering.
The release of the second edition highlights the role of community libraries not only as spaces for reading but also as platforms where young people can document local experiences, strengthen indigenous languages and develop confidence as writers and speakers.
The call for more contributions to Mishmi-land Musings is expected to encourage a new generation of library readers to record stories rooted in the people, culture and everyday life of the Mishmi region.
