Successful completion of national level seminar at Darrang College

HT Correspondent
TEZPUR, Nov 20: The department of Zoology, Darrang College, Tezpur, in collaboration with the Zoological Society of Assam (ZSA) and IQAC Darrang College, Tezpur, successfully organised a two-day long national seminar on the theme – ‘Recent Advances in Biological Sciences: Biodiversity & Human Welfare’ on Friday and Saturday at the Darrang College premises.
Many high-quality papers were presented, and esteemed participants from around 50 higher education institutes, universities, and organisations actively participated.
The seminar, which began with the college theme song performed by the students of the college, was inaugurated by Dr Biren Das, registrar, Tezpur University. Deba Kumar Mishra, deputy commissioner, Sonitpur district; Priyabrata Lahkar, president, Zoology Society, Assam; Dr Joishankar Hazarika, former principal of the college; Dr Paresh Goswami, former professor; and Dr Jyotikamal Hazarika, principal, Tezpur College, graced the occasion as special guests. Professor Parimal Chandra Bhattacharjee, former professor and head of the department of Zoology at Gauhati University, delivered the keynote address, and former head dean of the faculty of Science, Dr Prasanta Kumar Saikia, and present head professor Dr Jogen Chandra Kalita delivered the plenary talk. The brief introductions to the speakers were given by Dr Sweta Mahanta, assistant professor, department of History; Ritu Sharma; and Julie Bairagi, assistant professor, department of Zoology. Former professor Upendra Nath Sharma, president of the college’s governing body, lit the lamp at the beginning of the event. Principal Dr Palashmani Saikia delivered the welcome address at the function hosted by Dr Swapnali Kakati, coordinator, IQAC Darrang College. Dr Chittaranjan Baruah, convener of the seminar, introduced the concept note on the main theme of the seminar. Dr Balendra Kumar Das, pro vice chancellor, University of Science and Technology Meghalaya, addressed the participants while releasing the abstract of the seminar after a brief introduction by Parismita Devi, an assistant professor in the zoology department of the college.
Similarly, the deputy commissioner of Sonitpur district, Deba Kumar Mishra, released the souvenir of the seminar and gave a valuable speech.
Researchers from various states of India presented research papers. Dr Balendra Kumar Das, deputy vice chancellor, USTM; Dr Prasanta Kumar Saikia, professor, department of Zoology, Gauhati University; Prof Dr Robin Dole, head of the department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Tezpur University; and Pankaj Hazarika, associate professor, department of Chemistry, Darrang College, chaired over the parallel sessions of oral presentations.
Dr Chittaranjan Baruah, convener, and Dr Palash Mani Saikia, president, of the seminar, informed the audience that the main motto of the seminar is to create awareness among the people, improve research culture among the faculty members, research scholars, and students, and use discussion on biodiversity research to spread scientific skills and a passion for biodiversity conservation among the young generation. The seminar also aimed to uncover the future scope of this subject and increase the level of confidence among young generations for human survival through biodiversity resources in our country. Plenary talks were given by Prof Dhirendra Kumar Sharma, director TCRP Foundation and former head of the department of Zoology, Gauhati University; Dr Ashok Kumar Mallik of Maharaja Ramachandra Bhanj Deo University, Odisha; Professor Jatin Sharma of Bodoland University; and Dr Surjit Giri, doctor, Dimou Model Hospital, Sivasagar on the second day of the seminar. Professor Jogen Chandra Kalita, head of the department of Zoology at Gauhati University, has given his feedback, saying, “It was a wonderful programme that you organised after the terrible Covid-19 pandemic period.”
Along with participation and paper presentation certificates, session-wise best presentations have been awarded in the valedictory session in the presence of Dr Surajit Giri, Dr Jyotikamal Hazarika, Dr Palashmini Saikia (principal), Dr Jatin Sarma, Dr Swapnali Kakaty, coordinator of IQAC, and Binita Das, head of the department of Zoology, and other dignitaries. Nazrana Sultana Begum of Assam University said that Silchar has received the best poster presentation award. In the oral presentation category, Abhishek Patel (department of Environmental Science, Central University of South Bihar), Himadri Kalita (department of Zoology, Guwahati College), Rajashree Deka (Gauhati University), and Romi Singha (Assam University, Silchar) received the best presentation award in different technical sessions.