Draft:L. Somi Roy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



L. Somi Roy
OccupationWriter, Curator, Translator
Notable worksAnd That is Why... Manipuri Myths Retold Feathers, Fools and Farts: Folktales from Manipur
RelativesM. K. Binodini Devi (mother) Dr L. Nanda Babu Roy (father)
Website
http://www.imasi.org/somi_roy.php

L. Somi Roy is the author of And That Is Why: Manipuri Myths Retold (Puffin Books, Penguin Random House 2021) and its follow-up companion book, with co-author Dr Thangjam Hindustani Devi, Feathers, Fools and Farts (also a Puffin Book, 2023.[1]

Roy has translated M.K. Binodini Devi, his mother, the foremost among which is Binodini's 1967 novel Boro Saheb Ongbi Sanatombi (ꯕꯣꯔꯣ ꯁꯥꯍꯦꯕ ꯑꯣꯡꯕꯤ ꯁꯥꯅꯥꯇꯣꯝꯕꯤ), published as The Princess and the the Political Agent in 2020 as Penguin Modern Classic by Penguin Random House India [2][3]. Other major translations of Binodini include The Maharaja's Household: A Daughter's Memories of Her Father, Crimson Rainclouds and My Son, My Precious.[4][5][6]

As a conservationist, he has worked for the Manipuri Pony Preservation initiatives[7], representing and conserving Manipuri culture.

“Nothing represents Manipur better than our pony. It is not only indigenous, rare and endangered but also has a close connection with the culture of Manipur”.[8]

He is the founder and trustee manager of Imasi: The Maharaj Kumari Binodini Devi Foundation with its motto as preserving, protecting, promoting, the legacy of a writer.[9] Roy is also the author of M.K. Binodini Devi, a literary biography published by Sahitya Akademi in its Makers of Indian Literature Series of monographs.[10]

Life[edit]

L. Somi Roy is the youngest son born to Manipuri writer, and sculptor M.K. Binodini Devi and Dr L. Nanda Babu Roy, FRCS.

Works[edit]

Imasi: The Maharaj Kumari Binodini Devi Foundation

Imasi: The Maharaj Kumari Binodini Devi Foundation, is a trust established in Imphal with close associates and trustees of the writer. The foundation's mission is to preserve, protect and promote the legacy of M.K. Binodini Devi. [11] The Imasi Foundation was part of the Listener Festival organised in 2023 in Manipur and Nagaland as the producer.[12][13][14]

Polo and Ponies[edit]

L. Somi Roy's initiative for the preservation of Manipuri Pony was creation of a pony preserve in Heingang Village in Manipur.[7][15] To assist in his preservation efforts, Roy established relationship with the United States Polo Association (USPA) and other international Polo teams and brought them to play in Manipur.[16][17][18] He started the Manipur Statehood Day International Women's Tournament in 2016.[19] The first and only Women's Polo Tournament in India.[20][21] Roy's company Huntre! organised International Women's Tournament from 2016-2020.[22][23]

External Sites[edit]

  1. YouTube. (2021, November 27). Somi Roy talking on Manipuri Myths for Kids “and that is why” at OCLF | Orange City Literature fest. YouTube.
  2. The princess and the political agent by Binodini. YouTube. (2021, November 13).

References[edit]

  1. ^ "L. Somi Roy". Penguin Random House India. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Manipur's Never-Ending Love Story: A Son Translates His Mother's Seminal Work". thewire.in. Retrieved 2024-04-04.
  3. ^ Thoudam, Natasa (February 2022). "Book review: L. Somi Roy, Maharaj Kumari Binodini, The Princess and the Political Agent". Indian Journal of Gender Studies. 29 (1): 146–150. doi:10.1177/09715215211057941. ISSN 0971-5215.
  4. ^ J. Nameirakpam, Lakshmi (4 July 2020). "Remembering Imasi: Translator of Binodini's Celebrated Novel Profiles the Range of Works of the Author". Imphal Reviews. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  5. ^ "A Slice of Royalty". The Indian Express. 2015-02-04. Retrieved 2024-04-04.
  6. ^ "Literature Festival| Somi Roy | OCLF Nagpur". oclfnagpur.com. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
  7. ^ a b "A Preserve in progress A Personal Journey By L Somi Roy". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2024-04-04.
  8. ^ Sharma, Shamurailatpam Gautam (2014-02-05). "Somi Roy's Journey towards Setting a Pony Agenda | Manipur Times". Retrieved 2024-04-20.
  9. ^ https://imasi.org
  10. ^ Roy, Somi (2017-07-25). "Imasi Document: Biography Of M.K. Binodini Devi". Zenodo. doi:10.5281/ZENODO.834796.
  11. ^ "The Maharaj Kumari Binodini Devi Foundation,IMASI,imasi,imasi.org". imasi.org. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
  12. ^ "The Maharaj Kumari Binodini Devi Foundation,IMASI,imasi,imasi.org". imasi.org. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
  13. ^ "Through an oral literature festival, a bid to save languages of the Northeast". The Indian Express. 2019-06-08. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
  14. ^ "The Listener Nagaland 2023". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
  15. ^ Crane, Brent (2024-04-18). "In the Kingdom of Dying Ponies". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 2024-04-04.
  16. ^ "Discussion on conservation of pony held : 21st jan19 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2024-04-04.
  17. ^ "US museum unveils exhibit on Manipur polo history". The Times of India. 2012-11-21. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
  18. ^ "What you won't see if you don't see Manipur". Condé Nast Traveller India. 2016-11-03. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
  19. ^ Sharma, Shamurailatpam Gautam (2014-02-05). "Somi Roy's Journey towards Setting a Pony Agenda". Manipur Times. Retrieved 2024-04-04.
  20. ^ "How polo-playing Manipuri women are breaking barriers, leading a quiet revolution (IANS Special Series)". Business Standard. 24 March 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  21. ^ "Manipur's female polo players are riding up a storm - Elle India". Retrieved 2024-04-20.
  22. ^ "INDIA INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S POLO TOUR 2017 UPDATE - AGRA AND JAIPUR". United States Polo Association®. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
  23. ^ "Huntre, RePlay, Hun-tré! - International Manipur Projects, Imphal, Manipur, Polo, Manipur Polo". huntre.org. Retrieved 2024-04-20.