PenThrill marked a decade of successful publishing in Nagaland with a celebration at the Kohima College courtyard today. Special Guest Dr. Kekhrielhoulie Yhome, Advisor for School Education and SCERT, as well as a respected writer and academic, commended Rita in his brief address for her exceptional contributions to the literary field. He also emphasized the pervasive impact of technology and the resulting challenges within the publishing industry.
Highlighting the milestone of ten years of publishing in Nagaland, Vishü Rita Krocha, the Publisher of PenThrill publication house, reflected on the significant risk she took a decade ago when she ventured into the unfamiliar territory of publishing, acknowledging the journey’s challenges and successes.
“It was in the early part of 2013 that I quit my fulltime job in journalism and poured everything that I had—my heart, time, energy and resources into building something that I, myself knew very little about.” Mentioned Rita.
When she ventured into publishing in the same year on this day, November 27, the Publisher had no grand plans for bestsellers, no business sense, no resources whether financially or otherwise. “I also had no idea what it would be like for PenThrill ten years down the line or if PenThrill would even stand the test of time for the next few years. I was just another poor journalist, who believed in the power of words, and was deeply persuaded by the thought that ‘writing can change the world.” remarked Rita.
With publishing almost unheard of ten years ago and with very few authors from Nagaland that one could name, and despite the fact that the oral tradition of Naga literature has been passed down from generation, Rita firmly believed that storytelling has always been at the heart of the Naga culture. PenThrill really came into existence in this context.
Acknowledging the mistakes and failures, Krocha shared how there were times she got tired of doing certain things over and over again- “the seemingly insignificant things like being the driver, the labourer, the cleaner, the distributor, the proofreader, and several other roles all at once. But because the end result is always books, and she is also learning to enjoy the entire process of getting a book out there.”
However for the Publisher, ten years of publishing in Nagaland has been nothing short of magical. Having worked with more authors than she could have ever imagined, Krocha fondly mentioned how some of them have become friends, while some, although their works were published posthumously, gave her a real sense of fulfilment of being able to preserve the memory of their works.
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“As I reflect on the 10-year journey of PenThrill, it also occurred to me that the easier part is to have a dream. It’s the process of having that dream come true, which is the hardest. But standing here today, with 10 meaningful years of living my dream, behind me, all I feel is gratefulness. I am deeply touched, remembering how both my family and friends have been there for me, walked beside me, and helped me come this far, doing things for PenThrill as if it were their very own. “ Krocha stated.
Krocha also thanked her family who supported her through her journey, the booklovers, book buyers, writers, authors, bookstores, friends, and well-wishers.
Dr. Theyiesinuo Keditsu, an indigenous feminist, poet, academic, and educator, shared her experience with PenThrill, highlighting the publication of three of her books. She emphasized the publishing house’s provision of a positive and affirming space and underlined the significance of supporting PenThrill, which plays a vital role in shaping the literary landscape as one of the largest and most successful publishing houses in Nagaland. Renowned for their meticulous editing and arrangement of books, she stressed the importance of embracing critical engagement as an author.
Teisovi Gerard Meyase, Assistant Professor of Kohima Science College, Jotsoma, extended greetings and Zaseto Sasü, the school chaplain of Mt. Sinai Higher Secondary School in Kohima, blessed the program with an invocation. The event was presided over by Meneno Vamuzo and featured Zizi and Jewel, who enriched the program with their melodious voices and music.
