HT Correspondent
JORHAT, April 28: The North Eastern Small Scale Industries Association (NESSIA), Mukti Jujaru Samilan, Assam Chamber of Commerce (ACC), Jorhat district unit, observed the 216th birth anniversary of Maniram Dewan, considered to be the first Indian commercial tea planter and a martyr of the Great 1857 Revolt.
NESSIA general secretary Niren Sharma informed that in a function held at the Muktijujaru Bhawan here on Wednesday, the day was observed as North-East Entrepreneurs’ Day – an initiative undertaken by the traders’ body to honour Dewan since 2016.
Sharma said that as per the date of birth mentioned in renowned writer and historical researcher Benudhar Sarmah’s book on Dewan, NESSIA had been observing April 27 as the birth anniversary of the great personality.
He said that homage was paid to the pioneer entrepreneur and martyr by offering floral tributes and lighting lamps before the portrait of Dewan by those who attended the programme. Sharma stated he spoke about the objective of the function after which several speakers in their speeches dwelt upon the life and activities of Dewan.
NESSIA president Amrik Singh, executive president and vice-president of Mukti Jujaru Samilan Girish Bordoloi and Dr Promode Chandra Neog respectively,
ACC Jorhat district unit president Prasanta Saikia, ACC Youth Wing Jorhat unit president Debashish Sharma were among those who spoke on the occasion.
Sharma said that in the function a proposal was adopted to be submitted to the concerned authorities for constructing a memorial on the bank of Tocklai stream at Phansi Ali area here, where Dewan along with Piyali Barua, a close associate of him (Dewan), were hanged by the British regime on February 26, 1858.
The proposed memorial is to be for both Dewan and Piyali Barua. He said that the meeting also decided to request the authorities to name the Phansi Ali road in the name of Maniram Dewan and Piyali Barua.
