By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: For generations of Assamese readers, the arrival of children’s magazines Mouchak and Notun Aabiskar marked an introduction to storytelling, imagination and science. Now, the two iconic Assamese magazines have been digitally archived at the University of California, bringing decades of Assamese children’s literature to an international academic platform.
The initiative was undertaken as part of a collaborative project between the University of California and Tezpur University. Under the project, all published editions of the two magazines have been digitally preserved for academic access and research.
The archival work began last year and is expected to support international research on Assamese children’s literature and publishing history.
First published in April 1984, Mouchak has remained a familiar literary companion for generations of young readers in Assam. As the magazine enters its 42nd year, the development has been welcomed by its editor, noted Assamese children’s writer Shantanu Tamuli, popularly known among readers as “Mouchak Mama”.
Under Tamuli’s editorship, both Mouchak and Notun Aabiskar evolved into influential platforms promoting children’s literature, creativity and scientific curiosity in Assamese.
“The rich content of the magazines and their uninterrupted four-decade-long history have attracted comparative academic study alongside children’s magazines from around the world,” Tamuli said.
He added that research on the magazines was already underway in India, with several scholars pursuing doctoral studies related to Assamese children’s literature.
According to Tamuli, increasing academic interest in Assamese literary traditions eventually led to the collaboration between the University of California and Tezpur University.
He described the inclusion of the magazines in the University of California archives as a significant step that would allow researchers and students across the world to access and study Assamese children’s literature in greater depth.
Over the decades, Mouchak and Notun Aabiskar have become cultural landmarks in Assam, documenting the literary and intellectual journeys of young readers across generations.
Tamuli has previously received the Sahitya Akademi Bal Sahitya Puraskar and the National Award for Science Popularisation for his contributions to children’s literature and science communication.