HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Dec 7: On the occasion of the 93rd Jayanti of Homen Borgohain, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday presented the Literary Pension to three litterateurs and Literary Awards to 28 litterateurs at a function held at Gauhati University.
Under the Literary Awards, a one-time financial grant of Rs 50,000 will be given to the awardees and under the Literary Pension, a monthly pension of Rs 8000 will be given to the litterateurs.
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Speaking on the occasion, chief minister Sarma said, “In a true tribute to the late Homen Borgohain who enriched the Assamese literature, on his birth anniversary State government has decided to confer Literary Pension and Literary Awards.”
“Among the 20th-century personalities who contributed immensely to the forward march of the Assamese literature, Homen Borgohain was very prominent. Borgohain’s contribution in enriching Assamese literature through the introduction of encyclopaedia is unparallel,” Sarma reiterated.
Sarma also said that when Assamese society was confronted with a complex situation, Borgohain gave the way out with his literary creations. “With his editorials in different newspapers and magazines, Late Borgohain brought the element of pragmatism to literature,” Sarma remembered.
Stating that at present, instructions through the mother tongue have increased throughout the globe, the chief minister said that his government accords top reverence to all the languages and dialects spoken as the mother tongue.
He said, “The languages and dialects of the ethnic people represent the ancient culture of the state. If a language or dialect faces extinction, the associated culture also experiences disappearance. Therefore, the government of Assam is taking steps for the promotion of all languages.”
Speaking on granting the classical status to the Assamese language, Sarma said that all the sahitya sabhas representing different languages and dialects welcome the decision. He also said that the conferment of the classical language status to the Assamese language is the achievement of all.
“During Bhaxa Gaurav Saptah, around 1.5 lakh meetings were held across the state where litterateurs from different ethnic communities took part,” he added. Thanking the Prime Minister for his initiative in granting the classical language status to the Assamese language, the chief minister said that “everybody belonging to Assam feels proud of this achievement.”
It may be noted that altogether 31 litterateurs have been selected for Literary Pension and Literary Awards for the year 2024, among them three have been conferred with Literary Pension and the rest are Literary Awards. Shila Mohanta of Cachar, Dilip Kumar Phukan of Sonitpur, and Khagendra Nath Bora of Lakhimpur have been honoured with Literary Pension.
Education minister Ranoj Pegu; VC of Gauhati University Prof. Nani Gopal Mahanta; adviser to education department Prof. Debabrata Das; son of late Homen Borgohain, Pradipta Borgohain, and a host of other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
