Preserving Our Past, Inspiring the Future
We are creating the first dedicated Bengali science fiction archive, collecting rare magazines, novels, author interviews, essays, original manuscripts, and fan materials. This research center will serve scholars, translators, and fans interested in the history and evolution of Bengali speculative writing — from Hemendra Kumar Roy to current voices.
Such an initiative is crucial because much of India’s science fiction heritage — especially in Bengali — remains scattered, undocumented, and at risk of vanishing. Stories published in old children’s magazines, pulp digests, or little magazines are often lost to time, and many important authors are known only to a handful of readers. Without a systematic effort to collect, preserve, and digitize these works, an entire literary tradition spanning nearly two centuries could fade into obscurity. This archive seeks to reverse that trend by becoming a central hub for recovery and preservation.
Beyond safeguarding the past, the archive will also serve as a springboard for future research, translation, and revival efforts. It will allow scholars to trace the evolution of Indian scientific imagination and analyze its interaction with global science fiction movements. For young writers and fans, it will be a gateway to rediscover their roots and draw inspiration from a uniquely Indian tradition of speculative storytelling. This isn’t just a project of nostalgia — it’s an investment in the cultural future of science fiction in India.