Missing' Indologist surfaces in city

GUWAHATI, February 10: The confusion over the mysterious absence of noted Indologist from Sweden William Smith from the 66th session of the Asam Sahitya Sabha, being held at Dibrugarh, cleared a bit today with the scholar attributing his absence to a throat infection that apparently forced him to return to Guwahati 'for rest'. There however, are still a few questions that remain unanswered. The Stockholm University Professor, who was supposed to be the chief guest at the open session yesterday, failed to turn up raising several questions. According to media reports, the members of the reception committee of the Sabha were clueless about Smith's whereabouts. The Sabha session had to go ahead without the chief guest. Speaking to The Assam Tribune at Guwahati this evening, Smith, who is lodged at the Brahmaputra Ashok Hotel, said that he was forced to return to Guwahati on the advise of doctors at Sivasagar after being afflicted with 'severe throat infection'. He said that he went to see the doctor in the morning yesterday and set out for Guwahati immediately to rest. 'I could hardly speak,' he explained. What remains a mystery, however, is how the Sabha officials had no answers to Smith's absence yesterday. In fact, according to Smith himself, the Sabha officials 'never contacted' him. 'I am amazed that none called on me. I have no idea why', he said. The scholar had arrived in the State on January 29 and had been attending several social functions and visiting important sites. He said that the Sabha never contacted him 'officially' though he had met with 'several intellectuals' during his stay here. The scholar clarified that he harboured no offence against the Sabha for its aberration. 'I am not offended,' he said, while trying to explain the slip-up as natural for a 'big organisation'. He said that he will be in the State for "a few more days." Smith will deliver a lecture at the Srimanta Shankardeva Kalakshetra here tomorrow.