Society / Assam

GUWAHATI, April 27: It is a "sweet" lost-and-found tale spanning two continents and over half-a-century. From South Wales, Lesley Sweet and her father John Arnold Sweet will be flying into this city early next year to meet 43-year-old John Earnest Duchi - their only living relative in Assam. Duchi, a state government employee, is Lesley's paternal uncle. It will also be the first meeting between cousins John Arnold and John Earnest though their parents were in touch through mail till the early seventies. "It will be a reunion and I can't wait for it," Duchi said. "But the most excited member...

GUWAHATI, April 13: Intermittent showers since the morning failed to wash away the colours of Rongali Bihu as revellers soaked in the festive ambience at Bihutolis across this capital city. By the time the rain started, the customary flag-hoisting and swahid tarpan (homage to martyrs) at various Bihutolis was over. A large number of people dressed in their festive best attended the inaugural functions. At the historical Latasil playground, where the Guwahati Bihu sanmilani is celebrating its golden jubilee, Bhupen Hazarika was the guest of honour. The poet-singer-filmmaker was supposed to lead...

SHILLONG, April 13: The unfurling of the pat silk Bihu flag by Meghalaya Chief Minister EK Mawlong marked the inauguration of the three day-long Rongali Bihu celebrations at the Meghalaya Rongali Bihu Sanmilan at Asom Kristi Kendra here today. It was in the true spirit of Bihu festivity and bonhomie that none minded the fact that the flag was fluttering upside down! Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister hoped that the Bihu festivities would further cement the brotherly relations between the people of Meghalaya and Assam. He also declared that his government would extend all possible...

GUWAHATI, April 13: The Task Force that was constituted by the two-day seminar on 'Vision of Cotton College in the New Millennium' held here on May 26 and 27, 1999, suggested upgradation of this century-old College of the State into a Deemed University. Why? What are the justifications for that?? "If Cotton is to survive the onslaught of degeneration and remain always a beckoning light for the country's coming generations in matters of excellence in the field of academic activities it should be freed from the present affiliating system so that it can exercise academic freedom, with...

GUWAHATI, April 13: A cloudy weather since this morning failed to dampen the festive spirits of the people of Assam as the celebration of the Assamese new year festival Rongali Bihu got under way with traditional gaiety. Braving the inclement weather, thousands of people thronged the Bihutolis in the city to enjoy themselves till late in the night as prominent artistes of the State performed cultural programmes in the Bihutolis. Noted singer and the Sangeet Natak Akademi chairman Bhupen Hazarika is the star attraction in Guwahati as the people are eagerly waiting for his stage performance. To...

GUWAHATI, March 30: Eminent Sanskrit scholar, Mukunda Madhab Sarma was today presented with the Krishna Kanta Handique Literary Award, 2000, in the midst of a galaxy of writers and eminent citizens in a solemn programme organised by the Asam Sahitya Sabha here this evening. The award, instituted by the Krishna Kanta Handique Literary Award Trust, was conferred on Sarma by its president Chandra Prasad Saikia, a former president of the Asam Sahitya Sabha. Saikia, who also presided over the function, said in his speech that writers should ponder whether it was possible to foster peace and...

NEW DELHI, March 25: The social workers and NGOs in Nagaland have pressed the alarms bells following unabated smuggling of brown sugar from Assam into the State. The revelation was made by a prominent social worker Kumini Kathpiri, Project Deputy Director, State AIDS Control Society of Nagaland, who said that the number of drug users in the State has shown an increasing trend following easy availability of made to order drugs. She later told this newspaper that reports of smuggling of brown sugar from Assam to the State first came in about three years ago. Kathipri said it has been found that...

DIBRUGARH, March 21: Preliminary work on the ambitious integrity complex (sanhati bhavan) of the Asam Sahitya Sabha has commenced with the construction committee getting shape at a meeting of the Sabha which was held here on Monday. The idea to have such a complex in the city was mooted last year, and was taken up as a permanent project of the 66th session of the Sabha, which was held here last month. As part of the project, the old Saharia Town Hall would be thoroughly renovated to transform it into a hi-tech auditorium. Side by side, another building would come up, to house the country's...

GUWAHATI, March 20: The United Assam Association organised its annual general meeting on Saturday last at the Vale Community Centre, Nottingham. The Assam Association of UK is a non-political organisation. Its main objective is the welfare of the people of Assam and their families residing in the UK. Recently, Assam Association sent donation to the flood victims through Assam Red Cross Society. The meeting was presided over by Nagen Sarmah, President (UAA). It discussed the programme of Assam Day celebration which will be held on August 26, 2001 at Marriott Hotel, Northampton with a day long...

GUWAHATI, March 19: The historic Guwahati Kabarsthan at Athgaon is in dire straits. The Kabarsthan, which is believed to be a heritage of the Ahom era of the State's history, is now facing myriad crippling problems allegedly due to the mismanagement of the Kabarsthan Committee. The situation has come to such a pass today that while the graveyard, one of the largest in the State, is not witnessing any developmental work within its campus for the past about three years, its management committee and its lessee traders are now locked in acrimonious disputes. Meanwhile, agitated over the alleged...