Shillong Dec 12: The Martin Luther Christian University (MLCU) Press launched three new children’s books during the Winter Tales Festival held at Ward’s Lake here today.
Picnic and Pine Needles, Rain – U Slap, and Taptung Tangthu: Paite Folktales for Children are part of MLCU Press’ commitment to promoting regional literature andmultilingual storytelling.
The programme opened with a welcome address by Larilin Kharpuri, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, who highlighted the importance of the occasion, noting that Taptung Tangthu represents the first publication of folktales in the Paite language by the MLCU Press. The books launched are bilingual editions, English–Khasi and English–Paite, reflecting the Press’s ongoing efforts to support linguistic diversity and encourage reading among children in their mother tongues.
In the same address, Kharpuri also led the official launch of the new MLCU Press logo, which has been incorporated into all three newly released books.
The Vice-Chancellor, AA Mao, spoke on the significance of publishing literature from the region, stressing the need for institutions to nurture local voices and cultural heritage. He then led the official release of the books, joined by children from the audience who were invited onto the stage to participate in the launch, adding joy and enthusiasm to the moment.
Following the release, the authors of the three books shared brief introductions to their works, offering insights into the stories and the creative processes behind them.
The event concluded with a series of engaging games and activities organised by the MLCU Press, where children participated with excitement and energy, contributing to a lively and memorable celebration of literature.
