HT Correspondent
TEZPUR, Nov 17: Different Bodo Sahitya Sabha units under the Tezpur district Bodo Sahitya Sabha celebrated its 72nd foundation day and commemorated the martyrs who had sacrificed their lives for the Bodo language, literature, culture and heritage.
Several colourful programmes were organized in different parts of the district on the occasion. The
Bahbari unit of the Bodo Sahitya Sabha and Tezpur Bodo Society celebrated the day with much pomp and gaiety. President of the Bahbari Unit, Basudev Daimary and vice president, Dhaniram Daimary unfurled its flag and paid homage to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the Bodo language and literature.
Several noted Bodo litterateurs including Subheswar Kachari, Jaladhar Brahma, Prasanna Rabha and Sidheswar Rabha were present on the occasion.
President and vice president of the West Tezpur unit All Bodo Students’ Union, Manash Pratim Daimary and Anthou Bathau Boro, district representative Rupjyoti Boro and journalist and former ABSU worker Shambhu Boro were also present on the occasion. Later a new committee for the Bahbari unit of the Bodo Sahitya Sabha was also constituted, with Dhaniram Daimary as the president and Prafulla Boro as general secretary.
Further, at Tezpur Jaimati Pathar the Tezpur Bodo Society started their day-long events with a
cleanliness drive in the morning on Friday, following by unfurling of its flag, guest felicitation, , special talk on Bodo language development, prize distribution, symposium on the topic ‘Development of Bodo language in the age Digitization’ and various other cultural activities. A cultural procession was also taken out in the town on the occasion.
The Bodo Sahitya Sabha, which was founded on November 16, 1952 under the chairmanship of Joy Bhadra Hagjer at Basugaon in Kokrajhar, has been promoting Bodo language and literature, culture and heritages since its inception. After India attained independence, a critical mass of Boro intellectuals realized the need for the preservation of Bodo language. Meanwhile many early Bodo authors studied in schools and colleges, where the medium of instruction was either Assamese or Bengali. However, after realizing that education was the key component to the overall development of a nation and it’s language and culture, after a prolonged struggle and determination of the Bodo Sahitya Sabha, the Bodo language was introduced as a medium of instruction at primary level in 1963 and then at secondary level in 1968.
The Bodo language has now been recognized as one of the major Indian languages in Gauhati, Dibrugarh and North-East Hill Universities. In 2004 Bodo was recognized as an associate state official language of Assam. Moreover, the Bodo Sahitya Sabha has to its credit a large number of literary works including creation of prose, poetry, drama, short story, novel, biography, travelogues, children’s literature and criticism.
