Shillong: The Prabha Khaitan Foundation held a literary session in Shillong to honor Khasi poet and scholar Streamlet Dkhar. The event, supported by Oil India Limited and Vivanta Meghalaya, functioned as part of the Aakhar initiative. This project promotes Indian authors writing in regional languages. Dkhar is a former Head of the Department of Khasi at North-Eastern Hill University.
She writes poetry, drama, and folklore. She also translates major cultural texts into Khasi. Her rendering of the Mahabharata remains a primary achievement. It gives Khasi speakers access to that classical text in their own language. Her collection of folk poems, Na Thwei Pyrkhat U Longshuwa, earned her the State Literary Award of Meghalaya. Dkhar has carried Khasi literature to forums in China, South Africa, Nepal, and Thailand.
Associate Professor Dr. Saralin A. Lyngdoh moderated the session on September 26. They discussed Dkhar’s career and the power of translation. During the talk, speakers noted how such work bridges different cultural traditions. The foundation stated the event served to "highlight the foundation’s commitment to providing a platform for regional writers to reach a broader audience, recognising the linguistic diversity of the country."
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