My mind towards Assamese Literature was literally like an Axanto Electron. (The electron is a subatomic particle carrying a negative electric charge. It has no known components or substructure. Therefore, the electron is generally thought to be an elementary particle.) Coming from an English medium school I hadn’t read anything Assamese apart from my course work all my life. SKC is responsible for turning it around. Quite late in life, I asked my friend Aporaj to suggest me an Assamese book to read. Prompt came the answer. Suran Medhi’s work. I was like... Who? And why would you suggest reading his books.
Now Aporaj being a calm and composed poet friend as well as an avid reader not to mention, a huge fan of SKC gave me a “prolonged summary” of his work and narrated some of SKC’s book scenes to me. I decided to give it a go. The first story I read was Gulam. My mum, my biggest critique and rock in life after Deuta, saw me reading SKC’s book. A sarcastic smile followed by her saying... Make sure you finish the book. Reading a signboard and completing a book are two different things. Yes it was hard in the beginning and it took me twice the time to read a page in Assamese but then... language is practice. The more you speak and read, the easier it becomes. Maa is also an avid reader of Assamese Literature and I often felt left out when she discussed about her books with her friends. I am still learning and enjoying the richness Assamese Literature has to offer.
I was hooked on SKC. I smuggled Aporaj to Panbazar and instructed him to get me the best SKC’s books and I dutifully carried them back home to London. Manoj Goswami once told me that he requested SKC to write a New Year peice for his then Axomia newspaper. SKC was reluctant and later Eta Bhaal Khobor was on the papers on one new year’s day. Altaf Da made a short film out of it , When I watched it, I was gobsmacked to see the impact, the subtleness and the beauty of narrating a story. A very well made film . I liked the angel Altafda chose for the film. I also liked the fact that SKC was subtle and was thrilled that he used a pseudo name. I write my blogs as Rukmini Boigari. Why? Well why not? It isn’t necessary for people to know you as long as they read what you wrote. A journalist once asked my=e why I chose the name. Rukmini gave from North East and I came from the same part of the world and Boiragi is a surname is secretly loved to have. It sounds like a song. Beautiful. In real life I cannot us it for that became my pseudo name. The fact that SKC writes under different name gave me a kick. Not that I am comparing him with me for that will be preposterous.
Every Time I visit Guwhaati, I am tempted to ask Altaf Da to introduce me to SKC but I shy off the idea and tell myself- Bublee Toi Jugyo Nohoi. You are not worth enough to meet such a persona. But deep in my mind I connected with him and had immense respect for his work. His passing away news came hit me like a bolt out of the blue through his Facebook SKC Fan Group. I was not prepared as I was not aware that he was ailing.
25th June is a very special and private day for me for its that day when my idol and The biggest inspiration in my life, Deuta passed away... four years ago. It is spooky that SKC passed away on the very day day. I felt as though somewhere in ether he connected with me and gave me his blessings which I couldn’t get in flesh and blood. People like him should not be mourned for he will live forever. Eti Londonor Duporiyat,bagisat rod loi moi Apunak shrodhanjali jonalu. Ehaat dobar khelor dore, hothaht apunar dehatu hera kintu apuniye hol Asomor Baputi Sahun.
The acrimony over the molestation incident in Guwahati seems to have spread to New Delhi when hundreds students staged dharna in front of the Assam House on Friday. The outrage against the incident continued as members of the civil society staged a protest before the Assam Bhavan in the national. The protestors met the Resident Commissioner of Assam in New Delhi and urged him to ask Dispur to take strict action against the incident.
The Assam government on Friday set up a one-member inquiry commission on the recent incident in the heart of the city. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has set up the panel under Additional Chief Secretary Amili Chaudhary who has been asked to file the report by the next 15 days. Gogoi, who has directed DGP to nab all the culprits, has ordered disciplinary action against police officials found guilty of dereliction of duty. Opposition BJP also took out a protest rally in Guwahati against the 'failure' of the state government on the law and order front.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Friday inaugurated a solar power plant at IIM-Shillong campus to meet the needs of the institute. Gogoi inaugurated a 50 KW solar power plants aimed at providing clean energy to the IIM campus in Shillong. He said that armed struggle can’t change the face of a nation. According to him, it can be resolved only through economic development and by providing employment opportunities.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Friday said that his government was keen to settle the border row with Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. Participating at a function at Indian Institute of Management-Shillong, Gogoi said that the north east must live peacefully as good neighbours. The chief minister was greeted with black flags by the Khasi Students Union alleging encroachment on Meghalaya lands in Lampih.
Debabrata Maji of Mechanical Engineering Department of North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST) was awarded the prestigious ‘Rajiv Gandhi Excellence Award-2012 (instituted in the memory of Late Shri Rajiv Gandhi) from Sriprakash Jaiswal, Hon’ble Minister of Coal, Govt. of India, New Delhi in a glitering function of the presentation ceremony held on July 10, 2012 at Speaker Hall, Constitution Club, New Delhi. This award is presented by Seemapuri Times, a Lucknow-based News Magazine. This award presented to Maji for his Excellence in work, meritorious services, outstanding performance and remarkable role.
North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi) has joined the relief effort to give succor to the victims of the devastating flood that has recently swept across the state of Assam. A team was sent to Nalbari district with provisions, mosquito nets, tarpaulin sheets, baby food etc. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi flagged off the effort. B P Muktieh, CMD NEDFi was present during the flag off ceremony.
The Assam government has set up a panel of additional chief secretary PP Verma to probe the attack on Congress MLA Rumi Nath and her second husband Jacky Zakir at Karimganj on June 30 last. He will inquire into all aspects related to the incident and submit a report within 15 days. The Commission would also inquire into the circumstances leading to the attack. The Commission would also draw up a list of directives to be followed in case of a similar situation arising in the future.
Somewhere, a wall of mountains, frames the western horizon, where mighty waters follow their inevitable course, where crisp clean air rolls in from thick alpine forests, where tall prairie grasses bend gently in the breeze, there is a spirit, there is a welcome, there is a place called "Calgary" . It is the heart of the new west in North America. A fast growing city in the province of Alberta, Canada. On July 30th & July 1st 2012 more than 200 people came from different parts of the world including all over Canada, US¸ New Zealand and India. This convention at hotel Sheraton Cavalier was an International affair, the 33rd major social event of the Assamese community living in North...
Good news for Assam and its people. The state’s evergreen Bihu will be shining in the London Olympic slated for August. Bihu exponent Ranjeet Gogoi and his team have been invited to perform in the opening London Olympic ceremony. Gogoi and his team are scheduled to leave for London very soon. This has brought cheers for millions of people in Assam.
A major boost awaits Manas sanctuary in Assam along with the tea industry. DoNER has approved a comprehensive tourism master plan to be implemented by the North Eastern Region prepared by Tata Consultancy Services. The TMP will be implemented in three phases over a period of ten years and a total investment of Rs 3654.84 crore has been outlined for the implementation of various components and projects of the TMP. Nine inter-state tourism circuits have been identified in the TMP and will be taken up for development in the first phase.
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