ITANAGAR, 3 Jan: Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Saturday congratulated renowned writer Subi Taba on winning the Ramnath Goenka Sahithya Samman-2025 in the best fiction category for her critically acclaimed short story collection Tales from the Dawn-Lit Mountains.
The prestigious award, instituted by The New Indian Express Group, was presented at a ceremony in Chennai on Friday by Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, in the presence of eminent jury members, writers and cultural figures.
“Heartiest congratulations to Subi Taba on being conferred the Ramnath Goenka Sahitya Samman for Best Fiction 2025 for her acclaimed work Tales from the Dawn-Lit Mountains,” Khandu said in an X post.
This prestigious recognition is a proud moment for Arunachal Pradesh and a significant milestone for contemporary literature from the Northeast, he added.
Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein also congratulated the writer, stating that the achievement brings national recognition to the rich stories, culture and voices of Arunachal, and wished her continued success in her literary journey.
Tales from the Dawn-Lit Mountains: Stories from Arunachal Pradesh is “a luminous work of fiction that gives voice to a landscape and people too rarely represented in Indian literature”, according to the citation issued.
Rooted in oral traditions and shaped by a contemporary literary style, the collection was praised for capturing the rhythms of life in Arunachal with quiet power and deep empathy.
The jury noted that through spare and evocative prose, Subi Taba explores themes of memory, belonging, loss and resilience, portraying mountain communities as they negotiate social and cultural change.
The citation added that the book expands the imaginative geography of Indian fiction and affirms storytelling as an act of cultural preservation and renewal.
The collection emerged as the best fiction title, surpassing other shortlisted works, including Heart Lamp by Bhanu Mushtaq and The Girl with Seven Lives by Vikas Swarup, the acclaimed author of Slumdog Millionaire. (PTI)
