“My father Sir Keith Cantlie served in the Indian Civil Service from 1910 till his retirement in 1947. So, in a way I consider myself daughter of Assam, a land of outstanding natural beauty with distant views of the snow and Himalayas”
With her disarming smile simple down to earth and smiling manner the bespectacled Dr. Audrey Cantlie welcomes you with a big smile at her door at Oxford street as if somebody of her own. She has an emotional bond for Assam and the Assamese people.
I still remember the day I met her sometime in September, 1998 at SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies, London) I introduce myself as an Assamese I could see the sparkle in her eyes: said to me "How many Assamese people are in London? I love to meet them". Dr. Audrey Cantlie was born in Shillong in 1923. She spent her six years in Jorhat where her father was Deputy Commissioner. So, in some ways she consider herself a daughter of Assam.
After taking a degree in Sociology at the London School of Economics, she returned to Assam for fieldwork and carried out a study of a village near Jorhat, which was later published under the title of ‘The Assamese’. It is perhaps the only intensive work done in the plains of Assam and I like to think of it as a small contribution to understanding a unique way of life and, more particularly, the religion founded by Sankardeva.
After working on the staff at the London School of Economics. She moved to the School of Oriental and African Studies where I still teach part-time to the present day.
Few weeks after we have organized the 550th Sankar Jayanti at Wembley when we invited her as our chief guest. The speech she delivered about Sankardev was so informative. Since then Dr. Cantlie always shares every Assamese Community function in London. Her guidance and support is very valuable to me at my work in a women oriented matter.
From studying, Sociology at the London School of Economics and to teach at (School of Oriental and African Studies. Her beautiful past as an Assamese is still in her mind. She wrote “The Assamese” dedicated to the memory of her father Sir Keith Cantlie who served 40 years in the state of Assam. How beautifully she expressed the qualities of Assamese people in this book.
Call her a professor, teacher, academician for rest of our Assamese society in London she is just our “Cantlie baidew”
During her stay at Guwahati, we have organised an interactive session with teachers, academicians, journalists and students at Sudmersen Hall, Cotton College on Wednesday 13 February, 2008 at 4:00pm.
PermalinkSubmitted by Utpal Hazarika on Sun, 16/11/2008 - 01:32
I am from BANI MANDIR, a publication house from Assam since 1949. Many people want to buy this book, but due to the price 99% people cannot effort. If I get the publication right I can reprint the in Indian cheaper price and most of the people can buy and can preserve the book. I tried with the author but could not contact. Can anybody passon this message to the author of the this book.Thanks.
Utpal Hazarika
banimandir@gmail.com
Director general Police, Jayanto Narayan Choudhury wants to move out. But only after the panchayat election in January next. The former additional director of the Centre's Intelligence Bureau may return to the central government services. Choudhury is waiting for the state government to release him but sources said that chief minister Tarun Gogoi needs some time to find a new DGP before he approves Choudhury's release.
On the occasion of first death anniversary of Dr Bhupen Hazarika, a "Sradhanjali" progrm is being organized at Assam Bhawan, Vashi, New Mumbai on Saturday November 3 (6 to 9 PM). The program will have Naam Prasanga, Bargeet, Bhupendra Sangeet by Guest artists. All are invited. the event is being organised by The Assam Association, Mumbai and Shreemoyee Asomiya Mahila Samiti.
A minor boy was killed and five others have been injured when a power grenade exploded a crowded market in Udalguri on Monday. The incident took place when two motorcycle born militants lobbed a grenade as they drove through a busy market, killing the minor boy and wounding five other people. Top ranked police and civil officials rushed to the spot. No outfit has so far claim the responsibility for the attack.
An Airtel employee was injured when armed miscreants attacked him in Nagaon town on Monday. The shoot out took place near the the Nagaon headquarters police station when Amrit Das was preparing to the leave for his home. Suddenly gunmen who were hiding downstairs started pumping bullets at him leaving him seriously injured. Policemen rushed to the spot. But by then, the motorcycle born gunmen managed to escape.
There is report of simmering tension in Dhubri town when police sprang upon a group of protestors at a police station on Monday. Around 500 women of the IG Road area of Dhubri staged a peaceful dharna before the Dhubri police station this morning to protest against the detention of five youths late last night who had been picked up on the suspicion of being involved in the violence. Curfew was reimposed on Monday following the clash.
The government failure to check flood an erosion have reached the Supreme Court when the apex court on Monday asked Delhi and Dispur to respond to a plea that the failure of effective flood management in the state.Admitting a PIL filed by BJP leader Pradyut Bora, a division bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir issued notice to the Arunachal Pradesh government as the petitioner claimed that being a upper riparian state, the neighbouring state has not done enough to combat flood.
The All Assam Students' Union on Monday demanded steps to complete the work on updating the National Register of Citizens before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, AASU Adviser Sammujjal Bhattacharjya said that the facts and figures in the recent white paper are nothing but a bunch of white lies. He said that a lot of facts and figures on illegal immigrants are not finding place. He said that various judgements of Supreme Court and High Court on the issue had also not been mentioned in the Paper.
he famed Manas National Park is all set to open for tourists from November 4. According to the park authorities, repairing works are on inside the park. The park remains closed for almost six months during the rainy season every year and reopens with the onset of winter.
Ranee Narah took over as Minister of State for Tribal Affairs on Monday a day after the Lakhimpur MP took oath. She has been a prominent face of the young brigade of Congress in the state. According to official statement, she was elected to the 12th Lok Sabha in 1998 and re-elected to the 13th Lok Sabha in 1999 and 15th Lok Sabha in 2009. Narah was the Member of Consultative Committee in the Ministries of Communications, Petroleum and Natural Gas. She was also member of various important committees like committees on Urban and Rural Development, Defence, Transport, Tourism and Culture. She was also the captain of Assam women's cricket team.
Chief minister Tarun Gogoi and his Manipur counterpart, Okram Ibobi Singh, are dead opposed to any move by the Centre to agree to NSCN (IM)'s demand for territorial integration of Naga- inhabited areas of Assam and Manipur with Nagaland.
Addressing a press conference in Guwahati on Friday, Gogoi said that NSCN (IM) wants to carve out a greater Nagaland by including all Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur, Assam and Arunchal Pradesh to the present state of Nagaland. According to him, the Centre should have held consultation with Dispur before reaching such a pact.
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