Draft:L. Somi Roy

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.

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 Political Agent in 2020 as Penguin Modern Classic by Penguin Random House India. Other major translations of Binodini include The Maharaja's Household: A Daughter's Memories of Her Father, Crimson Rainclouds and My Son, My Precious.

As a conservationist, he has worked for the Manipuri Pony Preservation initiatives, 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”."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. 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.

Life
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
 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. The Imasi Foundation was part of the Listener Festival organised in 2023 in Manipur and Nagaland as the producer.

Polo and Ponies
L. Somi Roy's initiative for the preservation of Manipuri Pony was creation of a pony preserve in Heingang Village in Manipur. 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. He started the Manipur Statehood Day International Women's Tournament in 2016. The first and only Women's Polo Tournament in India. Roy's company Huntre! organised International Women's Tournament from 2016-2020.

External Sites

 * 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).