Kishor Barta
In Tripura’s literary world, the name Kishor Barta is today not just that of a magazine; it is a symbol of rare courage. Created by a student of class seven, this magazine continues to be published regularly online in both Bengali and English, completely free of cost. This long journey is filled with struggle, creativity, and an unyielding dream.
It all began in school, when the responsibility for the wall magazine Ankur sowed the seed of creativity that later grew into Kishor Barta. From that very school address began an effort to fill the void of a children’s literary magazine in the state. In those days, there was no internet, no YouTube, no Google, and no artificial intelligence. Everything had to be done manually.
I went to a studio, took photos, and made two zinc blocks at a government press: one for the picture and another for the logo. At that time, machines for making lead blocks had just been introduced.
Despite financial limitations, with the support of Shri Priya Bhattacharya, the owner of Subarna Press, a seventh-grade boy ran a manual treadle printing machine himself to print Kishor Barta. Even after the press closed, experiments continued. By the second issue in 1987, government advertisements began because it was a neutral children’s literary magazine without any political influence.
The then Minister Shri Ratan Chakraborty personally came forward with encouragement. He could hardly believe that the editor of Kishor Barta was a boy in half-pants. His assurance, “I am with you,” truly came to life. The noted writer and minister Shri Anil Sarkar was also always ready to help. Though the two belonged to opposing political ideologies, their love for children’s literature was the same.
At the age of 16 to 17, I joined Deb Sahitya Kutir, marking the beginning of my professional journey. At 18, I came to the notice of Satyajit Ray. My hand-drawn portrait was published on the cover of Nabakallol, and later I got the opportunity to work for Sandesh magazine. These were recognitions of a young artist’s talent. After that came roles in leading publications like Rashtriya Sahara, Hindustan Times, Down To Earth, Business Standard, Fortune India, and Business Today.
Eventually, I gave all that up and returned to my home state, Tripura, with a dream to do something for children and young readers. Even after setting up a printing press, I could not keep up with the demands of business-minded competition. The heart of an artist cannot meet the needs of commerce. As a result, the large printing machines were sold as scrap. Despite leaving behind a high-paying job and multiple properties, I still believe that literature is my true path.
From Agartala, I continue to work with renowned organizations such as HarperCollins, The Economic Times, Outlook, and The Pioneer. Yet, I never left Kishor Barta. Every month, more than 24 magazines are published in both Bengali and English. Many advised me to stop, some even tried to discourage me. But I did not stop. Because my goal is one: to keep a literary magazine alive in Tripura.
With support, Kishor Barta can be published on a larger scale and with even greater quality. I await your sincere cooperation.
The greatest joy lies in our readers. We receive readers from countries whose names I had never even heard before. They eagerly wait for each new issue. This love, this connection, is the truest reward for Kishor Barta.
P h o t o s & M e m o r i e s -
Letter from the headmaster to open the Kishor Barta bank account
Government advertisement from the second issue of Kishor Barta
For the cover of the second issue, I created the lino-cut myself at that young age without any proper cutting tools. I rubbed and sharpened a nail to make a makeshift knife and, with inexperienced hands, still managed to do the color separation. And that too without using black ink; only cyan, magenta, and yellow were used to create a four-color effect. I printed the copies myself on a treadle machine. Thinking back now, it amazes me. None of my ancestors were ever connected to this profession, not even remotely. I had no one beside me. I learned everything on my own.