Society / Assam

Feb. 26: Life expectancy at birth in Assam is below the national average and is one of the lowest among major Indian states. This is only a fragment of the dismal picture that was brought out in the first-ever human development report of Assam, which was released today.

The report also says a high proportion of persons over 60 years continues to participate in the workforce. Two out of every three men over the age of 60 years have to work. ?This reflects society?s inability to allow people, specially the poor, to retire. Low incomes and no savings for many people mean that they have to...

MAJULI, Feb 14 ? Silhoutted against a massive fabric painting of Garunda, the Pitambardeva Kshetra at Daria Dubi Paar reverberated to the deafening beat of khol, dhol and cymbals, as exponents of the Satriya culture and tribal artistes like regaled an audience at the inaugural function of the two-day second Majuli Festival which got off to a colourful start here today.

Taking a leaf out of the Dutch experience during a subsequent discussion on, ?Geographical and cultural protection of Majuli? ? a worthy son of the river island Brahmaputra and Cambridge University mathematician Dr Khargeswar...

GUWAHATI, Feb 11? The meaning of the texts of the Kanaibarasibowa rock inscriptions at North Guwahati have been deciphered through epigraphic study. State Museum?s Assistant Curator Sarhajuddin Ahmed, who is a noted epigraphy expert, deciphered the meaning of the texts following formal requests from the Archaeology Directorate.

The deciphering of the inscriptions has helped recording the evidence of a chapter of the State?s glory. This glory is related to the military might of the State?s people and their victory over the invading military generals several hundred years back. The text of the...

MANGALDAI, Feb 11 ? With the participation of more than 10,000 delegates coming from different parts of the State as well as the delegates from Orissa, the 73rd annual conference of Srimanta Sankardeva Sangha got under way today with a four-day long programme at Lechakonia Gobinda Atoi Kshetra at Pakabangipara near here. The presence of the devotees numbering about 20,000, has turned the conference ground into a holy pilgrimage as some of the enthusiastic devotees arrived there on foot.

Sri Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa, Chief Secretary to the Government of Assam, who also came into limelight in the...

GUWAHATI, Feb 11 ? After a series of discussions and negotiations during the last one month, noted construction company Larsen and Toubro (L&T) has agreed to take the responsibility of construction works of the stadiums for the forthcoming National Games to be organised by the State in November 2005.

L&T has taken up the works at a cost of Rs 139, 45, 66, 938, which is over Rs one crore lower than their lone opponent Nagarjuna. The agreement was made last evening and the Chief Minister also approved it. As per the agreement, the organisers of the National Games have to pay 15 pc of the total...

SHILLONG, Feb 6 ? Eminent musician Bhupen Hazarika's famous Bengali composition Manush manusheri janya (man is for mankind) was selected as the 'best song of the millennium by the BBC Bengali service, reports PTI.

This was announced by the singer himself, a Dadasaheb Phalke awardee, here today saying he got a telephone call to this effect on the first January this year from BBC. Hazarika, who was here to inaugurate a Rotary conference, also enthralled the audience with his rendition of the song first in Nagamese followed by Assamese and lastly in Bengali.

Recalling his experience, the...

GUWAHATI, Feb 4 ? An amount of over Rs 35 lakh granted by the Central Government way back in 2001-02 for improvement of Sanskrit Tols in the State and providing scholarships to students and salaries to teachers has remained unused for the three consecutive fiscals including the current one.

Disgusted at the indifferent attitude of the State Government to take steps to improve upon the atmosphere in 81 Sanskrit Tols in the State despite availability of Central fund, Asom Sanskrit Mahasabha has threatened to drag the State Government to the court over the issue.

President of the Mahasabha...

Jorhat, Feb. 4: Assam minister for employment and craftsmanship Rupam Kurmi passed away at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, early this morning. She was 55.

Kurmi, who was admitted to the AIIMS on November 24, died of multiple ailments. She hails from Cinnamara here and had been representing the Mariani constituency in the district since 1991. She was elected to the Assembly for three consecutive terms and was the first woman cabinet minister from the tea community.

Kurmi leaves behind two sons. Her funeral will be held tomorrow in her ancestral home at...

UDALGURI, Feb 2 ? Renowned historians like Surya Kumar Bhuyan wrote Assams history ignoring the Rabhas, one of the important tribes of Assam and that is why people of Assam remained ignorant of the Rabha people and their art and culture, according to Sarbeswar Rabha, the vice president of All Rabha Students? Union (ARSU).

He was speaking at the main session of 12th biennial, 6th biennial and 17th joint conference of Darrang district committees of All Rabha Students? Union (ARSU), All Rabha Women?s Council (ARWC) and All Rabha National Council (ARNC) respectively here at the Bishnu Rabha...

DIBRUGARH, Feb 1 ?Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today laid the foundation stone of the highly ambitious Project HOPE (Hospital of People?s Expectations) at the Assam Medical College here this afternoon. The Centrally funded project has the potential to change the infrastructure scenario at the Assam Medical College. New Delhi has already committed Rs 20 crore to get the project going.

In his brief address on the occasion, the Chief Minister said he would like to see the Assam Medical College see its glorious days once again, and called for time-bound completion of the project?s work. The work...