Book-Ant Publication House, Siliguri has formally launched its new publishing unit (imprint), Salamander Imprints.

The imprint was inaugurated with the release of the historical travelogue 'Darjeeling to Distant Destinations'.

The book, written by bestselling historian Dr. Sonam B. Wangyal, was launched at the Book Cafe in Gurung Nagar, Siliguri on Monday.

The main attraction of the program was the in-depth conversation between author Dr. Wangyal and facilitator Dr. Satyadeep S. Chhetri. During the event, Dr. Chhetri quoted the famous traveler Ibn Battuta and said, 'When a person reaches a new place, he first becomes silent, and then he becomes a storyteller.' He mentioned that this statement is fully reflected in Dr. Wangyal's travel writing.

In his speech, Dr. Wangyal discussed the concepts of 'Brand Darjeeling' and 'Brand Gorkha'. Stating that these names are being widely used in products like perfumes, cigars, liquor and textiles all over the world, he expressed the view that the community has not been able to utilize this brand value and has failed to establish the true identity of the region in the global market. He described his book as a work that raises awareness about the brand value of the region. The formal release of the book

was done by Dr. PK Chhetri, Dr. Rinji Eden Wangdi, Gyanendra Khatiwada and Dr. Satyadeep S Chhetri. On the occasion, author Dr. Wangyal was honored on behalf of Salamander Imprints. The program was concluded by Naresh K Shahi, advisor and translator of Book-Aunt Publication House. Dr. PK Chhetri was present as the chief guest and Dr. Rinji Eden Wangdi as the special guest at the

program. In his address, Dr. Chhetri emphasized the importance of travelogue writing to understand cultures, identities and regional narratives in the current context of globalization.

Darjeeling to Distant Destinations is said to have made a significant contribution to contemporary travel literature from the Eastern Himalayas, highlighting the relationship between local identity and global experience.

The event, which concluded with the launch of Salamander Imprints, was attended by writers, social activists, researchers and people from various fields. Raja Puniyani, founder-director of Salamander Imprints, said that the name of the imprint was inspired by the need to conserve salamanders, which are considered ‘living fossils’ found in the Eastern Himalayas, especially in the Darjeeling region. He informed that special attention will be paid to publishing quality research-based works and historical novels in the coming days. Works currently being published under the