MERISTEM – A NEW MAGAZINE EXCLUSIVELY FOR BOOK REVIEWS

Objectives:

Spotlighting Quality Books

We bring readers short, thoughtful reviews of quality fiction and non-fiction books that haven’t yet reached global distribution. These reviews, in English or Malayalam, will be written by readers who have discovered them online or offline.

Bridging Regional Literature

We explore significant books published in India’s regional languages that remain untranslated into English. We commission reviews of such books in English from readers fluent in those languages, ensuring these voices reach a wider audience.

Reviews with Relevance

A review should do more than summarize a book. We encourage contributors to connect books (especially non fiction books) to issues that matter to society and to readers today.

A Resource for Comparative Study

We aim to make the ideas of books accessible to scholars and curious readers for comparative study. In view of this, we provide English reviews of books in Indian languages and foreign languages that lack English translations.

Cultivating a Reading Community

Our goal is to nurture a thoughtful, academic reading culture. MERISTEM will serve as a curated first look at the best books. To begin with, we feature four acticles in each issue.

Free Monthly Magazine

Beginning 14 September 2026, MERISTEM will be published free of charge on the 1st of every month. This initiative is completely by readers and for readers.

You are our writers, our readers, and our advocates.

Contributor Guidelines:

1. Submission

• Submit original, unpublished book reviews and articles on relevant literary and social issues to: meristem.kks@gmail.com
• Please confirm that the work is not under consideration elsewhere.

2. Author Details

• Include a one-line Author Note stating your current designation and affiliation.
• Each submission must include the reviewer’s Name, Email, and Phone Number.

3. Format & Requirements

• File Format: MS Word (.doc / .docx) or other editable formats only. PDF files will not be accepted.
• Word Limit: 400 to 420 words only.
• Language: English and Malayalam (Bilingual).
• Title: Maximum 7 words or 50 characters.
• Book Details: Begin each review with: Book Title, Author / Translator, Publisher, Year of Publication, Number of Pages, and Price.

4. Policy

• All submissions will be checked for originality. Plagiarism is strictly not permitted.
• Acknowledgement of receipt does not indicate acceptance. Editorial decisions may take up to six months, and publication may take up to 12 months after acceptance.
• Revisions, if requested, must be returned within 3 months.
• Copyright remains with the author or the employing organization. Re-publication is permitted with due acknowledgement of first publication in MERISTEM MAGAZINE.
• Reproduction by any third party requires prior written permission from the author.
• All published articles will be posted on the KOLKATA KAIRALI SAMAJAM website.

5. Style and Design

• Total Pages: 4
• Text Font: Minion Pro, 9 pt. justified alignment.
• Masthead Font: Trajan Pro
• Overall Look: Black and White with Colour Logo.

Let’s build this together !

E mail us: meristem.kks@gmail.com

Published by KOLKATA KAlRAll SAMAJAM