HT Correspondent
JORHAT, Jan 17: Assam minister for cultural affairs, industries, commerce, etc., Bimal Borah on Tuesday presented the state government’s Silpi awards to six eminent personalities of the cultural scenario of the state on the occasion of Silpi Divas, in a solemn ceremony held at Dr MC Das Memorial auditorium at Assam Agricultural University campus.
The ceremony was centrally organised by the state cultural affairs department in association with Jorhat district administration.
Borah gave away the Natyasurjyo Phani Sarma Award 2022 to veteran actor Pranjal Saikia, the Dr Bhabendra Nath Saikia award 2022 to eminent actor Arun Nath, the Biju Phukan Award 2022 to noted director and producer Samarendra Narayan Dev, the Bhimbor Deuri Award 2022 to renowned writer Mileswar Pator, and the Silpi Awards 2023 to well known singer Rajen Gohain and to popular Karbi folk singer Pokhila Lekthepi.
Each award carries Rs 2 lakh in cash, a gamocha and an angavastram (shawl), a citation and a portrait of the awardees.
In the same function, those among the 50 present, who were selected for Silpi pension by the government, and also those among the 152 artists present for one time special financial assistance were given the first instalment of pension and monetary aid, respectively by Borah.
The pension is of Rs 8,000 per month while the aid is Rs 50,000.
The minister in his address paid glowing tributes to Rupkonwar Jyoti Prasad Agarwalla, the first Assamese filmmaker, eminent playwright, poet and dramatist, on whose death anniversary Silpi Divas is observed.
Bimal Borah, while reciting a few lines of Rupkonwar Jyoti Prasad Agarwalla’s writings, recalled the invaluable contributions of the cultural icon and the pioneer of Assamese film making with the legendary movie ‘Joymoti’.
Speaking about Agarwalla’s multifaceted personality, Borah said that in a short span of 48 years, he contributed massively not only in the cultural scenario but also took part in the freedom struggle.
The minister said that Agarwalla would always remain an inspiration for the people of Assam.
Earlier, Dr Saumitra Pujari, head of the Department of History, Jorhat College (Amalgamated), as an appointed speaker on the occasion, gave a lecture on the life and contribution of Agarwalla.
In the beginning of the programme, the welcome address was delivered by state secretary, cultural affairs, Laya Madduri and a group of artists from Asom Satriya Sangeet Mahavidyalaya presented a Jyoti Sangeet.
Rajya Sabha MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa and MLAs of Jorhat, Mariani, Titabar and Dergaon attended the programme.
