Great news for South Asian 6-10 year-olds whose Clifford the Big Red Dog and Curious George books, just weren’t providing enough depth for discussion over afternoon tea. They now have a new literary magazine named Kahani:

Our Story [from the Kahani website]

It began as a wish for more, a wish to enrich a little girl’s life with literature rich in characters and plots through which she saw her everyday reflected. From that special grandma far away to the neighborhood friends she plays with, the little girl could read about her life, her unique experiences of growing up in overlapping cultures.

Many years later, that wish has come true as Kahani, a South Asian literary magazine for children who call America home. It’s the perfect title to reflect the simple but empowering concept of the magazine: ‘kahani,’ the Hindi word for ‘story.’ Named by that ‘special grandma,’ Kahani would be just that, a place where the stories of South Asian children – just like that little girl – would be told.

What began as one mother’s vision now includes the drive and energy of three other committed women. As parents themselves, the Kahani idea resonated immediately. Even more amazing, each brought in specific professional skills crucial to Kahani’s success. (How their initial meeting happened is a separate story in itself. Let’s just say it was meant to be.) Cradling crying babies in one hand, while jostling spreadsheet numbers with the other, they got down to work. The magazine was no longer just a vision.

I think this is just fabulous. I wish I had this when I was a kid instead of Highlights Magazine (my life since has been screwed up as I always examine every scene for what doesn’t belong there). Kudos to these women for their initiative.

As reported in India New England:

“Everything in our premier issue – from the stories to the illustrations – has been created just for us,” Jain says. “It is an amazing amalgamation of talent. Our readers are in for a real literary treat.”
With so much to offer, Kahani’s founders believe the magazine is well worth its starting price of $32 for six issues. Jain notes, “That’s a lot of value we’re packing in. It’s another way of complementing [the children’s] education.”
The founders also hope the South Asian-American public will be further inclined to purchase the magazine once they learn that Jain, Chawla and Ramdev pay for Kahani out of their own pockets, even choosing to forfeit the use of advertisements. Even so, Kahani’s executive team feels lucky to have the support of so many people in the South Asian-American community who contribute their talents to the production and management of the magazine.