[Assam] Delhi’s Assam Association completes 60 years(The Assam Tribune.04.02.2008)

[Buljit Buragohain]

Delhi’s Assam Association completes 60 years
>From Our Spl Correspondent
 NEW DELHI, Feb 3 – Among the country’s oldest associations of its kind, Assam Association, Delhi is celebrating 60 years of its existence with an elaborate programme.

Not many associations in the country can boast of having the Prime Minister as one of its ‘life members’. Apart from Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, the association’s list of members includes Union ministers, State ministers and the State Chief Minister, besides captains of industry, top bureaucrats, top guns of the public sector undertakings, writers, physicians and what have you. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has served as the president of the association for four consecutive terms, while APCC president Bhubaneswar Kalita has been an active member.

Briefing newsmen here on Friday, president and general secretary of the association, Group Capt (retd) AC Baruah and Hareswar Deka, respectively, said they were leaving no stone unturned to showcase the diverse cultural heritage of Assam.

The celebration would be kicked off with a joint concert ‘Strings of Peace’ by sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and his sons Aman and Ayaan Ali Khan at Siri Forth Auditorium on February 8. Recalling Khan’s contribution, the organisers said that he has played a leading role in arranging funds for the Sankardeva Bhawan through his concerts.

The main aim behind organising the concert is to raise funds to complete the Sankardeva Bhavan project. The project has cost the association over Rs 2 crore and is almost nearing completion.

About the celebrations, Baruah said that they are organising a four-day festival of dances of north-eastern region of the country from February 21 in the National Capital, besides a series of lectures by experts and eminent persons.

The first in the series of lectures would be delivered on February 16 by Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Lt Gen (retd) SK Sinha on ‘Glorious History of Assam’. It would be followed by a lecture by Union Minister for DoNER Mani Shankar Aiyar on ‘Opportunities and Roadblock: Look East’ on March 1. Noted author and senior journalist Mark Tully is also delivering a lecture on ‘Telling the Northeast Story: Conflict and the Media’ on March 8. Others slated to deliver lectures include filmmaker Jahnu Baruah and Dr Ramachandra Guha. “Besides, we are also organising an all-India prize money essay ‘Sankardeva: A Saint-Poet-Artist and Scholar’, in English for college students,” said Baruah.

The grand finale would be held on April 24, when Bihu teams from Assam would be invited besides stars like Zubeen Garg and Debojit Saha.

The Assam Association had a very humble beginning, when Mahendramohan Choudhury and Debendra Pal Das formed Assam Sangha in 1947. It was later registered in 1967 and christened Assam Sangha. The Association now boasts of 1600 members including 416 life members.
(The Assam Tribune.04.02.2008)


       
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