HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Dec 7: Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that in a bid to broaden the reach of Assamese literary gems beyond state boundaries sincere efforts were being made.
In this regard, he urged the Assam Prakashan Parishad to initiate an annual translation project, aiming to convert a minimum of 10 significant Assamese books into major languages across the nation.
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“Sincere attempts were being to take the great Assamese literary works outside the perimeters of the state,” Sarma said while addressing a gathering during the celebration of 92 nd Birth Anniversary of late Homen Borgohain, a doyen of Assamese literature here at Janata Bhawan in Guwahati.
Sarma also spoke about the attempts by the Government of Assam to enrich the literary sphere in the state and said that Assam Prakashan Parishad has been organizing book fairs across the state with the aim of ushering in a book-reading movement among the people.
The chief minister further informed that works on a biographical account of the great Ahom Army Commander Lachit Borphukan in all major Indian languages were going ahead in full swing and soon it will be formally published and distributed in libraries of over ten thousand colleges across the country.
Commenting on Homen Borgohain, Sarma said as a mark of recognition towards Homen Borgohain’s contributions towards Assamese literature and the impact of his thoughtful thinking on the state’s socio-economic and intellectual sphere, the Assam government started the tradition of conferring Literary Pensions on this great litterateur’s birth anniversary after the latter’s death in the year 2021.
Referring to the tribal communities as integral and inseparable parts of the greater Assamese society, Sarma said the list of litterateurs selected for this year’s Literary Pensions also include writers and authors who write in tribal languages.
“That apart literary figures from Barak Valley too figure on this year’s list. From the coming academic session, in line with the National Education Policy 2020, imparting of primary education through the medium of a few tribal languages in select schools too shall be introduced keeping in mind a 3-year road-map ahead,” he added.
The Assam chief minister while referring to Borgohain as one of the finest Assamese litterateur par excellence next only to Sahityarathi Lakhsminath Bezbarua, said that Borgohain, in his roles as a litterateur and a journalist, made a deep positive impact on the state and its people.
“His prose writing skills left an indelible mark on the readers,” Sarma remarked.
The event was also attended by education minister Dr Ranoj Pegu, public health engineering minister Jayanta Mallabaruah, education advisor to Assam government Noni Gopal Mahanta and additional chief secretary Bishwaranjan Samal, along with a host of other dignitaries.
Those conferred with Literary Pension this year are — Sitaram Basumatary (Baksa), Jaya Deb (Cachar), Champa Lal Sinha (Cachar), Bagen Gogoi (Dhemaji), Anupama Naiding (Dima Hasao), Dr Paritosh Chakkravorty (Goalpara), Dr Molina Rabha (Goalpara), Dr. Malini (Jorhat), Seniram Gogoi (Golaghat), Jhoola Sarma (Golaghat), Dr Ankon Chandra Saikia (Jorhat), Binanda Sarmah Pujari (Jorhat), Rajlakshmi Khound (Kamrup Metropolitan), Anil Kumar Boruah (Kamrup Metropolitan), Dr Nandita Devi (Kamrup Metropolitan), Jayanta Madhab Bora (Kamrup Metropolitan), Renuka Biswas (Kamrup Metropolitan), Pratima Nandi Narzaree (Kokrajhar), Bijoy Rabi Das (Sivasagar), Dilip Kumar Baruah (Sonitpur), Gyan Bahadur Chetri (Sonitpur), Sumitra Goswami (Kamrup Metropolitan) and Mohan Sonowal (Dibrugarh).
