19/08/2026
🇮🇳 | From Her Himalayan Roots to India’s 50 Under 50, Tribeny Rai Shines 🎬🏔️
A dream built with courage, personal savings and an unwavering belief in storytelling has now earned national recognition. Independent filmmaker Tribeny Rai has been named among India Today’s prestigious “50 Under 50” list, featured in the magazine’s special 50th-anniversary edition celebrating 50 inspiring Indian women making a significant impact across arts, culture, science and sports.
Rai chose a path very different from the conventional pursuit of a secure government job. With no established film industry or strong financial backing in her region, she took a personal risk and invested her own earnings, along with a portion of her mother’s savings, to make her debut Nepali-language feature film, Shape of Momo.
The film went on to receive international critical appreciation and achieved a landmark theatrical release across India and Nepal, bringing stories and perspectives from the Eastern Himalayas to a much wider audience. A graduate of the prestigious Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Rai has shown how determination can turn an unconventional dream into something that reaches far beyond its place of origin.
Her recognition comes alongside several accomplished women from different parts of India, including Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu, filmmaker Rima Das, conservationist Purnima Devi Barman and conservation scientist Dr Barkha S***a.
Rai is already working on her next project, A Chronicle of Minor Things, which has been selected for the prestigious Asian Project Market (APM), opening another promising chapter for independent Himalayan cinema.
Hailing from Sikkim, Tribeny Rai’s journey is more than a personal achievement—it is an inspiration for young filmmakers and dreamers who choose courage over the conventional path. Her story proves that even when resources are limited, determination and belief can take a dream to the national and international stage. 🇮🇳🏔️🎬
Heartiest congratulations to Tribeny Rai on this remarkable achievement. May her journey continue to inspire many more voices from the Himalayas. 🎉👏
